


Bottoms Up

by WingsofCorporal



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Assistant! Eren, Barebacking, Boss! Levi, Breeding, Businessmen, Closeted Character, Coming Out, Deepthroating, Denial of Feelings, Dirty Talk, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Engagement, Eren Yaeger Has a Large Cock, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Jealousy, Long-Haired Eren Yeager, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Romantic Fluff, Rough Sex, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Smut, Time Skip Character Visuals, Unrequited Love, Workplace AU, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:55:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 143,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25218121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsofCorporal/pseuds/WingsofCorporal
Summary: Assistant, Eren Jaeger finds himself at the demise of his friend Jean's claim:The eyes of their cold, merciless lady-killer boss, Levi Ackerman, tend to wander where they shouldn't at work. That place specifically being Eren's ass. However, months of assisting and wistfully following after the cold raven like a love-stricken puppy leave the brunette doubtful of the claim. To make matters even worse, conflict and distress rampage into Eren's life as a rumor of Levi's engagement to an unknown fiancé is also brought to the table, countering Jean's claim. Eren Jaeger is absolutely conflicted!For the first time in Eren's life, a desire to pursue the object of his affections was triggered. Which was the truth and which was nonsense? Was it possible that Levi saw Eren as more than a hot-headed, barely competent assistant? Did Eren's feelings have any chance of being requited or was he hopelessly falling deeper down the rabbit hole for an engaged older man?It was now or never—Eren Jaeger had to take action to seduce his boss or forever hold his peace.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 373
Kudos: 606





	1. The Life of an Assistant

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, HybridCorporal here.  
> After a hiatus that has lasted for years, one of us has decided to pick up a new AU and produce another Levi X Eren work. I hope you enjoy it and although the fandom is not as popular as it initially was, I'm sure there are some readers still constantly seeking new Ereri/Riren content like me.
> 
> EDIT (9.5.2020): I feel like it would help readers if they were able to see what Levi and Eren look like to me in this story.  
> To me, this artist drew photos of Eren and Levi that accurately captures how I see them. You can view it [here](https://twitter.com/acutedrug/status/1175389135407742984?s=21) and [here](https://twitter.com/acutedrug/status/1196074473176223744?s=21).
> 
> All characters look like how they do in the Marley Arc/Time-Skip era.

Eren’s POV

A deliriously fatigued Eren barged into his blond coworker’s office, shoulders weighed down by lack of energy and overwhelming exasperation prominent in his tired glare. Only two minutes had passed since the unannounced visit in Armin’s office occurred and Eren’s fit had the blond already concerned for his friend’s wellbeing.

He was barely keeping up! Every time he finished an assignment, another one immediately popped up to take its place! Any more of this and Eren was going to only live, eat, breath and inevitably die from his job at this point.

“God, he’s so fucking demanding..! Armin, you have to help me! I don’t know how much longer I can take this!”

Eren wailed as he paced back and forth, fingers tightly pulling at strands of long brown hair. Messy locks unceremoniously slipped out of a loosely tied bun with each aggravated tug. The hardheaded worker was currently running on five hours of sleep and three cans of Red Bull in order to just barely stay conscious and more importantly, keep up with his boss’ pace.

It was one o’ clock in the afternoon and the frantic assistant was using the precious ten minute break he reserved for the day to break down in Armin’s presence. It was now a normal pattern for Eren to come rant to his best friend about the constant grueling tasks he had to pull off in order to keep his job. Armin’s bright blue eyes chased after Eren’s constantly shifting figure, evidently worried for his short tempered friend.

Fortunately, from lengthy and taxing years of experience, the blond thankfully acquired the ability to properly handle Eren’s extreme outbursts. He began with a soft tone, painted with concern.

“Eren, are you talking about your boss again?”

Shooting Armin a look that screamed ‘really?’, Eren’s frown only deepened as he continued whining.

“Armin, who else would I be talking about? Of course I’m talking about Levi! That slave-driver never cuts me any slack! I wish I had a boss like yours..”

Eren’s eyes lit up with realization as he whipped his head around to face Armin.

“Wait..actually..! Ask Erwin if I could transfer to his department!”

Armin nervously laughed as Eren suddenly slammed his hands on the table Armin was occupying, leaning in with puppy eyes as he pouted.

“Please, Ar!!”

He cast Eren a look of sympathy before letting out a sigh.

“We’re a bit tight on positions right now but I can still see what I can do..I’ll ask Christa if she can get a transfer for you..but no promises.”

The possible offer was all it took for the green eyed male to internally jump in joy. A light of hope flickered in his eyes before he clasped Armin’s hands and grinned.

“Thank you so much!! You’re the best!”

The blond rolled his eyes before he glanced at his friend’s display of delight with amusement. Unfortunately, Eren’s rejoicement was short lived as another wave of exhaustion came over him and he grimaced at the dull headache he was experiencing.

“I can’t believe I even got hired in the first place let alone the fact that I’ve somehow been able to not get fired..”

Both of the room’s occupants had a moment of reminiscence, thinking back to their first days of working together. Too tempted to bring up a factor he suddenly remembered, Armin laughed before turning to Eren.

“Well, I can’t believe that you’re even working here at Survey Corps in the first place. Didn’t you only apply in the first place because you thought Levi was attractive? You were totally ogling him that day you finally visited my workplace. You practically wanted to jump the man. Even then, it was only because I asked you to drop off lunch for me.”

Armin’s voice then dipped into a teasing tone.

“Then, you suddenly had a spontaneous need to work here of course..”

Eren flushed before rolling his eyes and slapping a hand over his face. He was not very pleased at being reminded about certain things.

“Armin, please. That’s old news..! Any fantasies or delusional thoughts I’ve had about doing him are well down the drain by now.”

“Yet you still think he’s dilf material.”

“Because he is dilf material! Have you seen him!?”

Armin snorted at Eren’s more than confident reassurance of his boss’ attractiveness despite his complaints about his employer. Leave it to Eren to whine about somebody one minute and insist on how fuckable they were the next. As erratic as usual, Eren didn’t hesitate to pick up where he left off in his rant.

“All we ever do is file taxes and fill out contracts every single day. Not to mention the fact that he’s a huge hardass.”

The assistant frowned before continuing in a serious tone.

“..It’s true that I did initially want to work for him because he did catch my attention in that way..but I don’t think I regret coming into the company and working under him. I’ve seen what Levi can do and he’s a miracle worker. I admire his incredible capabilities and work ethic and even aspire to be like him in that way.”

Armin listened contently, a knowing smile on his lips hidden by interlaced fingers. He watched as Eren grimaced before letting out a disheartened sigh and scratching the back of his head.

“I’ve already faced the facts that he isn’t even remotely interested in me. He probably sees a big stupid service dog everytime he looks in my direction..”

Suddenly, a snicker came from behind the two. They both turned to see Jean Kirschtein leaning against the doorframe of Armin’s office with a cup of hot coffee in his hand. He was a part of Eren’s department in accounting and the two immediately became frenemies in a constantly competitive friendship.

Earning a vexxed look from Eren, the cocky newcomer spoke up in a mixture of disbelief and amusement after taking a gulp of his coffee,

“Are you serious right now? You’ve actually got to be the dumbest airhead I’ve ever met, Jaeger.”

A surge of anger and a pinch of anxiety sparked in Eren as he glared at Jean. He didn’t know how long Jean had been there and he wasn’t planning on accidentally coming out of the closet by having the other overhear him exclaiming how he had the hots for their boss.

“What the hell are you talking about, horse face!? Since when did you even get here anyways?”

Armin remained silent and deep in thought, confusion crossing over his face at the third party’s remark as the other two continued to bicker in the background. Jean scowled at Eren and opened his mouth to insult the short tempered male in return but was cut off by Armin.

“Wait..What do you mean, Jean?”

Jean’s glowering soon reverted back to his initial look of haughtiness at Armin’s question. He clearly was aware of something that Eren wasn’t and the shit eating grin on Jean’s face was a result from that. The smug expression from him easily triggered Eren.

“I’ve been here for a while outside the door but I decided to come in when you were claiming our satanic boss sees you as a dog. Came to Armin’s to hand him some papers but I didn’t realize he was babysitting.”

Eren scowled before throwing his hands in the air, clearly impatient.

“Stop with your stupid insults and answer Armin! What exactly are you getting at?”

Jean scoffed before pushing himself off of the wooden door frame and closing the door. Eren and Armin shared a look of worry at the shut door. Whatever Jean was talking about, it seemed like something that couldn’t be casually said aloud in the office. Walking over and handing the blond secretary his papers, Jean scrutinized Eren for a good minute before he casted a weirded out look at Eren.

“..Do you actually not know? I mean, I expect Armin to not realize since we work on the opposite side of the floor from him but it’s actually sad at this point that you of all people don’t realize it. Even Sasha and Connie have noticed by now and do you know how dumb they are? That’s actually saying something-”

Getting increasingly irritated with each word coming from horse face’s mouth, Eren’s eyebrows dipped in annoyance as he cut off the other.

“Okay, I don’t need a whole ass speech about me being dumb. Just tell us what the hell you’re talking about, _Jeanbo_!”

Eren enunciated the nickname, earning an annoyed glare from Jean which he ignored. Ever since he overheard Jean’s mom call him that embarrassing name from an unexpected work visit, Eren didn’t hesitate for a second to use the ridiculous parental endearment to piss off his coworker every other day.

Finally, Jean stopped dodging the question but kept glaring back at Eren.

“I’m fucking talking about the fact that our boss checks out your ass like it’s a three course meal with every chance he gets, idiot!”

Yelling back at Eren, Jean stabbed his pointer finger into his friend’s chest along with his declaration. The male’s body went into shock at Jean’s claim, figure going slack and allowing himself to be pushed back by Jean’s jab. Jean said what..? Eren’s head was racing with a million thoughts and none at the same time. The room went silent as Armin stared at the two with his jaw open in equally sized astonishment. Suddenly, the small blond squeaked out.

“..What!?”

Rolling his eyes at Eren’s despondent state, Jean turned to Armin and crossed his arms. He used one hand and pointed at Eren with his thumb.

“Yeah, why do you think this turd head got hired? It obviously wasn’t because he’s an amazing genius.”

The insult snapped Eren back from his surprise, glowering at Jean before yelling yet again.

“What the fuck are you talking about!?”

Eren’s snapping was switched to another variation of his disbelief as he decided to take Jean’s words as a joke instead. Laughing in disbelief, he pointed an accusatory finger back at Jean with narrowed green eyes.

“You know what, I see what you’re trying to do- You’re actually more stupid than ever if you think I’d fall for that! Levi doesn’t even bother talking to me outside of workplace matters let alone look in my direction!”

Jean loudly scoffed in disbelief before bickering back.

“I’m not pulling your leg, idiot. You don’t believe me? Why don’t you try actually looking at him every time your dumbass bends over to pick something up every other minute? Or even whenever you step into his space?”

Eren opened his mouth to argue back but Armin beat him to talking and spoke up before the other could.

“I mean..I’ve only heard of Eren and Levi’s interactions from Eren’s rants. I’ve never seen you two work together myself…”

The blond turned to Eren with a nervous look.

“I mean..what if he’s right?”

It was at that moment that the brown haired teenager scoffed and let out a disbelieving laugh. Sneering at Jean, the brunette was confident that his coworker’s claims were a sick ruse that the two tone haired male could laugh at him for later. Eren was hellbent on not falling victim to a “I can’t believe you fell for that” line from horse face again.

“If Jean’s right then I’ll give him a free request for me to do whatever the fuck he wants.”

Both Armin and Jean’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, one looking more than happy at the remark while the other squirmed in his chair in unease. Armin chewed on his lip before squeaking.

“Eren, are you su-”

“Nope, no take backs, coconut head. Eren already said it. Consider it a deal.”

Jean cut the blond’s questioning off a bit too enthusiastically. The smugness caused a pang of unrest to creep into the corner of Eren’s head; especially with the way Jean was smiling from ear to ear. There was just no way he was right..! Or was he...?

Suddenly, Armin’s desk phone rang, snatching everybody’s attention to the device as he hastily picked it up, still worried over Eren’s impulsive deal. Nevertheless, the priority at the moment was work and they were still on the clock. Armin remained silent as the caller began to speak up first, not sparing a second of time for the blond to even breath upon answering. Blue eyes widened before he nervously glanced in Eren’s direction and squeaked.

“Yes sir..! He’s right here...put you on speaker..?”

A husky, low bark could already be heard from the phone by everybody in the room from the personal receiver alone. An all too familiar sound which Eren could unfortunately recognize. It didn’t take longer than a second for Armin to cringe and set the call to the speaker. The gruff voice filled the room as Eren glanced at the clock and saw the time, silently cursing at himself.

“Eren, can you explain what you’re doing in Armin’s office and not mine? You’re a minute _late_.”

Levi’s rough snapping had a level of intimidation high enough for everybody in the room to tense up, intimidated by an authoritative figure that couldn’t even see them. Eren’s eyes widened in fear before he replied immediately in a rushed yelp.

“I apologize, sir. I’m coming right away..!”

Eren’s deal and Jean’s far fetched claim were quickly forgotten by the assistant and replaced with the looming fear of Levi’s wrath as he rushed out of Armin’s office, hastily ready to continue working.


	2. Engagement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, here's chapter 2! I hope you all like it.

Eren’s POV

A couple of months had passed since Jean’s claim had first reached Eren’s ears. Overtime, it was long forgotten amidst Levi’s constant orders and name calling, buried in the farthest corners of Eren’s mind. It was a Monday and the beginning of the week. While Eren wasn’t enthusiastic since today was only the beginning of many work days to come, it was when he was the most recharged and energetic. Mondays were workdays that came after a nice weekend of relaxing. Therefore, the weekends helped out the assistant in the long run and left him more aware and respondent to his boss’ requests come Monday.

“Eren, I’m assuming you filed the claim for Wagner already. We have four more clients to run through.”  
“I already did, sir. I’ll get the files for this upcoming month right now!”

The brunette replied firmly and began walking to the file cabinet, sneaking a glance at Levi. He did so only to see his boss not even bothering to spare a glance in his direction, even when he was talking to Eren. It was simply expected now based on their strictly professional relationship but still left Eren internally sighing.

Levi was incredibly attractive for a man of his age and easily deemed desirable by many.

Long sparse raven strands brushed over moon kissed skin, providing a striking visual contrast. Levi’s thin brows arched in concentration at the paper in his grasp. Strong, defined hands pressed into the thin sheet as the shorter male concentrated. Even in a suit, Eren’s boss had a visibly solid figure, well defined muscles rippling sinfully underneath the thin black fabric with each shift in position that left Eren’s eyes lingering more than they were supposed to. Silver sharp orbs pierced through black lashes as they closely studied the contract in hand. Eren busied himself looking for the right forms, self disciplined enough to leave any lustful thoughts stranded in imagination.

It was important to not get distracted by the other through wandering thoughts unless he wanted to be ruthlessly snapped at. Sometimes, Eren genuinely wondered if Levi knew how the women in the office would ogle at him or even dared to whisper their obscene desires about the older male aloud to each other. Did he know he was popular or was he too caught up in his papers to even notice that?

The brunette had quickly learned from day one that as visually appealing as his boss was, he was truly Satan himself reincarnated. Levi mercilessly used his authority to his full advantage over Eren, snapping demands upon demands the second the brunette’s foot made it past the door. Eren could confidently claim that he was being worked down to the bone and was deserving of every penny he earned. However, despite the grueling demands, the assistant complied. As aggravating and tiring the job was, their department never failed to produce top-notch results, undeniably well respected by the other departments.

Locating the third form, Eren had one more to locate and reached for the upper right drawer. Unsurprisingly, the assistant was clumsy and accidentally knocked the last file over as he tried to grab it. The manila folder fell to the floor and it’s contents spilled out all over the wooden floor as Eren cringed and cussed at himself. Hurriedly closing the drawer, he rushed to pick up after himself, getting on his knees and snatching the folder first.

Eren was too terrified to turn around, worried that his boss would notice by doing so if he hadn’t already. If Levi did notice, he didn’t say anything yet. Eren warily shuffled around on all fours, silently waiting to be potentially berated by Levi. He really did not want to be forced to clean each individual paper for merely making contact with the floor. Something Levi _had_ made Eren do before.

Grabbing the papers as fast as he could, the assistant sighed, lifting his knees off the ground to get back up. Before Eren could, his eyes caught his reflection in the office window, causing his breathing to halt. If the brunette’s self awareness wasn’t as present in that moment in comparison to his usual days, he’d likely have merely laughed at how ridiculous he looked on the ground. He would have went on with his day, unnoticing. However, green eyes widened when they noticed sharp grey ones in the glass’ reflection, staring at something that wasn’t work for once.

Stumbling up, Eren hastily brushed himself off, feigning ignorance as a million thoughts raced in his mind. It took every bit of composure the nineteen year old had to stay calm on the surface. He sneakily glanced back without turning to find his boss’ stare boring into the document in his hand as normal but Eren knew what he saw in the glass.

Levi’s eyes off those lines of text and peeking at his assistant’s ass.

Shuffling the papers into the folder, Eren’s lips were pinched together as he stared down in shock. He must have imagined it..maybe the lack of sleep and hectic lifestyle had all finally caught up to him to the point where he was imagining things..!

Horseface’s words suddenly came back at full force into Eren’s brain, refusing to leave.

  
He felt dizzy and overwhelmed. The office was quiet as always but the silence was more nerve wracking than ever and made the assistant afraid to even breathe too loud. Glancing over at Levi again, Eren briskly walked over to his desk and set the files down. Staring suspiciously at his boss, his internal turmoil was suddenly interrupted.

“Can I help you, Jaeger?”

Levi’s cold tone sent shivers down the assistant’s spine as he tensed up under his boss’ gaze, realizing the other caught him staring. _Shit, he needed to snap out of it._ Worrying about whatever he thought he saw comes after work on the priorities list. Eren shook his head before clearing his throat and straightening his posture.

“No, sir, I was just zoning out, my bad..I’ll start going over the accounts right now.”

Eren replied professionally, keeping his voice even and calm. Levi’s unreadable stare lingered on the other. The simple act alone placed Eren on edge, as if the other could read his thoughts. If looks could kill, the assistant would have been long dead by now. Nonetheless, after what felt like forever, Eren finally received a firm nod from Levi who waved him off and found himself overly pleased by the small acknowledgement.

Although the teenager still maintained a significant level of hot headed behavior from his younger days, he was now an adult and able to act more appropriately. His suspicions could wait until later but for now it was work hours.

\-----

“Ohmygod, so you finally noticed! I wasn’t surprised that Jean knew but I was so shocked when he said that he wasn’t sure if you even knew- we thought you were possibly playing dumb!”

Eren raised an eyebrow at Sasha as she sprayed bread crumbs over the work table. He definitely needed to wipe the table extra clean so Levi wouldn’t chew them all out later.

A small group of coworkers from the accounting department would have a routine of eating together a few times each week while the other times they’d join with Armin’s group and have an even larger get together when eating. It was lunch break and Eren didn’t waste a second to run over to the breakroom and confront the first person he could about Jean’s claim, confirming if everybody else really did supposedly know.

He could always rely on Sasha to be in the breakroom the second lunch hours began. It didn’t matter if he sprinted to the breakroom and actually tried to get there first; if it had to do with food, the constantly starving female would always somehow beat him there against all odds.

The long haired assistant let out a defeated sigh before letting his head fall back in disbelief.

“I can’t tell if this is some elaborate joke or if you guys are for real..”

Sasha quirked her head in confusion before frowning.

“Why would we joke about this? More importantly, how do you feel about it? I didn’t even realize our boss possibly swung that way! Hopefully it doesn’t make your girlfriend wary if you have one!”

Sasha’s eyes widened at surprise at her own sentence before shaking her head like a wet dog. Eren flushed at her response, looking away and muttering.

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend..”

Although it seemed known that Levi had been ogling him for so long without his realization, nobody else in the office seemed to have found out about his sexuality and Eren didn't have any plans on that changing.

“Oi, Sasha, talk after you chew! You’re gonna get Eren to clean after you again!”

Connie was seated next to her, both of them across from Eren. He spoke up through a mouthful of his own sandwich, scolding Sasha as crumbs fell onto the table from his own meal. The irony of the reprimand left Jean scoffing at the two as Eren rolled his eyes.

“You both are such clowns. I’m sure half the messes in this place are caused by you two....the other half though..”

The whole table shivered in fear of the person Jean was referring to. Hanji Zoe was another boss of a smaller division but somehow caused the most chaos and mess. For a business place, hearing explosions and crashes was not normal for other companies but it was for this one. While friendly and chipper with everybody, she still managed to put everybody on edge, including her close friends which consisted of the CEO Erwin and shockingly, Levi. Eren couldn’t have been more surprised that Hanji and Levi were best friends as it seemed like Hanji would be more suited for annoying his boss to death instead.

The coworkers would always bicker over who would have to carry supplies or papers to her division, in fear of getting caught in the middle of one of Hanjis’ antics. After Connie came back from Hanji’s area with half of his shirt burnt off one afternoon, the rest of the group began freaking out. Thus began the constant games of hot potato where each coworker would keep shrugging any Hanji related tasks onto one another until somebody relented, that person usually being Eren.

However, the mention of Hanji sparked a realization within Eren and he perked up.

“That’s it! Hanji is Levi’s best friend, right? So I can ask her about Levi!”

The whole table was deep in thought at Eren’s proposal. It didn’t take long for Jean to frown and swat Eren on the head.

“Are you dumb? Why would you do that? What are you going to do if it’s confirmed that your boss wants to get in your pants?”

Jean snickered as Eren scowled and rubbed his head, shooting Jean a dirty look. Sasha already finished her sandwich and was not so discreetly trying to take parts of Connie’s lunch. Connie rolled his eyes before shoving his bag of chips to her and she squealed in delight. Tearing into the bag, Sasha chirped aloud as she dug into the contents.

“Well, I know that all of us are suspecting we’re right but poor Eren. He must feel weird about it. Maybe you might have gone for it if Levi was a woman! Oh, and not engaged!”

Everybody turned to her in surprise at the last remark but only Eren felt a pang of jealousy and confusion flash through him. Levi was engaged..? How come he didn’t know?? Furrowing his eyebrows, the assistant frowned and questioned Sasha.

“What!? Since when was Levi engaged??”  
“Huh..? Did nobody else think that?”

Everybody at the table shook their heads while Sasha shoved another mouthful of potato chips into her mouth before speaking up again.

“Huh..well, I guess it’s not surprising if nobody else noticed. I’m pretty sure he is. I think it’s with that orange haired girl that’s from Human Resources..you know, Petra? I saw them both looking at a catalogue of rings and she’s been looking at a lot of wedding stuff with him actually..one time I overheard them talking about wedding cake flavors!”

Eren internally laughed bitterly. Leave it to Sasha to overhear anything if it involved food.

“Shit, her? I mean, she is one of the few chicks here that are shorter than Levi..besides Christa but she’s a lesbian.”

Jean murmured in amusement as Eren groaned, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation. The habit always caused strands of hair to stray from his tied up bun but was nevertheless a coping mechanism he stuck with. The brunette knew who Petra was and it was true that she dropped by now and then to see Levi while Eren was working.

He just never thought any further into it. Levi was crossed off from his list of potential partners since day one of work where the shorter male showed no interest whatsoever or even seemed to swing the same way. Connie had a confused look on his face before speaking up.

“So, what does this mean? Jean told us about that bet you made with him. Do you get something from him if he’s wrong after all?”

The shaved headed coworker questioned Eren as his eyebrows shot up at the point Connie brought up. Glancing over at Jean with a smug look, Jean frowned before looking away warily.

Well, at least Eren would get a free demand from Jean if his boss was engaged.

“So what if he’s right, Jeanbo? I can’t wait to cash in my victory.”

Eren mocked his friend, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair in satisfaction as the other tried forming a coherent sentence.

“Well, I didn’t know about Petra! It still doesn’t explain what we all thought we saw before!”

The table was now in a flurry of confusion, everybody’s faces twisted in conflict over the contradicting events they’ve witnessed and arguing it out. Eren’s mind, however, strayed from the rest of the group’s, still caught up in the news that Levi was engaged. It was true that it didn’t seem like Levi had an interest in men but he also didn’t show interest in women either.. Eren bit the inside of his cheek in frustration.

Did he actually want it to be true? That Levi looked at him in that light?

Connie then finished his sandwich before snickering and changing the conversation to a lighter mood.

“Still..can you even imagine our boss with her? Or even anybody for that matter? Not that there’s anything wrong with Petra but I can’t even picture Levi being lovey dovey or romantic..”  
“Who can’t you picture being romantic, Springer?”

A questioning, icy tone came from behind Connie and the others jolted in shock as they looked up from their table to see the last person they’d want to see at the moment. Levi stood behind Connie with an eyebrow raised and arms crossed, staring the back of Connie’s head down as the caught male seemed frozen in position, too horrified to turn and face their boss. Even Sasha had stopped mid chew. Jean and Eren stared straight ahead, sneaking scared glances occasionally in Connie’s direction, pitying him for getting caught. Connie was practically sweating bullets as he struggled to respond to Levi who was still waiting for his response.

“S-sir..it’s not like that-I just meant-”  
“You just meant what exactly?”

As soon as Connie gained the courage to speak, his already struggling voice was soon cut off as he snapped shut at Levi’s snapping. The whole table was silent as everybody was stunned and horrified. Levi almost never came down to the breakroom during lunch time.

Suddenly, the raven haired male turned his attention to his assistant who met his eyes and sheepishly shrugged. Levi narrowed his eyes at the response but didn’t reprimand his assistant for it. While everybody was practically walking on eggshells around their boss, Levi was more lenient with Eren’s personal behavior. Although it was not by much, it was still something.

“I didn’t realize you all were so invested in my love life. Trying to get into my pants or something? There’s only one woman at this table so unless any of you like cock then I suggest you keep your dick in your pants and your words in your mouth.”

The crude response left everyone speechless and had Sasha choking on her halfway chewed bite. Never in a million years did they think they’d hear Levi Ackerman make a joke. It was apparent that their boss didn’t care for the silent shock though as he soon clicked his tongue and turned around, ready to leave.

“Eren, you’re obviously done eating. Finish filing last month’s receipts now..”

Levi glanced at the table and his right eye twitched as disgust was visible on his face.

“..and someone clean up this shitshow for god’s sake.”

The green eyed male simply nodded slowly and stood up, grabbing his napkins and utensils as Levi was already leaving. Sasha and Connie scrambled for the wipes while Eren threw away the trash from his lunch.

“Shit..Shit..! How much do you think he heard?”  
“I don’t know, Sasha- just clean!”  
“I don’t wanna get fired!”

Sasha wailed as she vigorously wiped the table with Connie. If it weren’t for the slip up, the green eyed teenager would have been amused by seeing the two clean up so eagerly for once. As Eren was about to leave the room, Jean grabbed his shoulder before speaking up.

“But did you guys notice? He didn’t deny being engaged to Petra..”

Eren’s chest felt tight as Jean turned to give him a grin.

“Hey, I guess you do get a favor from me if I was wrong. Sorry for getting you tripped up, we must have been overthinking about our boss. You must be relieved.”

It took effort to keep eye contact with Jean and feign relief and fake a laugh as his chest felt tight.

“Yeah haha...you’re right.”

Jean nodded and patted Eren’s shoulder before letting him leave. The assistant didn’t spare a second before turning around and exiting the breakroom. Pressing his lips together in frustration, he walked towards his boss’ office to continue working.

A part of him held resentment towards Jean for telling him about his theory. Eren wished he never heard it because as much as he wished it wasn’t the case, his friend’s words had planted the smallest seed of hope in him. Now he didn’t know what to believe in anymore. He just wanted to go back to the days where he had given up enough to not have anymore straying thoughts about his boss.

Eren sighed to himself before turning the corner to see a foreign figure in Levi’s office from the doorway. A head of cherry brown hair was visible now and Eren vaguely remembered seeing it in Hanji’s office. A stylish woman was standing by Levi’s desk, bending over and tucking a stray short strand behind her ear as she dipped down, too close to Levi for Eren’s comfort. She had a petite face with glossy red lips and a curvy figure that could be seen from her tight, fashionable clothes. Upon getting closer, Eren could overhear her. While her words were about the business she initially was sent to Levi for, her tone and mannerisms seemed suggestive in another way.

“..So for the percentage given in these charts, I was thinking they were a bit _big_ for such a small figure..”

The female purred as she leaned down even further, low enough for even Eren to see her cleavage peeking from her shirt and most definitely visible to Levi. The shorter male’s eyes had remained on the paper until the woman next to him bowed down even more. Grey orbs slowly looked to the right of him where the woman was. A pang of jealousy shot through the assistant’s head and without thinking, he coughed loudly in the doorway, crossing his arms defensively. Both his boss and the woman looked up at Eren who lamely replied.

“I’m back from lunch so I’ll go work on those receipts..”

Levi raised an eyebrow at Eren’s announcement but seemed to pay it no extra attention before replying. On the other hand, Nifa seemed to be significantly less enthusiastic about her being in the office once she noticed a third party had joined.

“Eren, have you met Nifa? She works for Hanji so I’m assuming you might have seen her around before.”  
“Yeah..”

Trailing off, Eren glanced at Nifa who straightened her posture and was no longer looming over his boss. She still didn’t seem to care all too much about Eren and flashed him a halfhearted small smile.

“Hi, nice to meet you.”

Eren bit the inside of his cheek again before replying back in an equally uncaring tone. It was apparent that Nifa was trying to get into Levi’s pants just now.

“Nice to meet you too. I’m gonna start on the receipts.”

The brunette replied stiffly before walking over to the drawers as Nifa lingered around. She didn’t seem to have anything more important to say but she was still here and Eren wondered why. He sat down at his own desk after grabbing the boxes he needed, glancing at Nifa. She glanced back at him and it looked like something in her head clicked as a look of suspicion washed over her face. Clicking her stiletto heels, she adjusted her tight black miniskirt before turning to Levi and smiling.

“Before I leave I just wanted to show you where the proper infographics are..”

The worker spoke up in a sickly sweet voice as she began motioning towards the papers in Levi’s hands. Out of the corner of his eye, Eren saw her slowly close in to Levi and she even rested a hand on his shoulder. The assistant stiffened at the interaction and Nifa’s yellow orbs darted over to Eren’s. She glanced up at Eren and a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes was temporarily plastered on her face as she sent a mocking look at him before she turned back to Levi. The taller male sat there, frozen.

She was mocking him!

Eren chewed on his lip, trying to ignore the two as Nifa continued flirting with Levi, each touchy interaction between them irritating the assistant.

Twenty minutes had passed and Eren was still struggling to focus on the receipts as the female didn’t leave or rather wouldn’t.

The two had been murmuring the whole time, quiet enough that the green eyed employee couldn’t hear them even when he strained to. Eren just wanted nothing more than for her to leave them the fuck alone. Sure, he knew that a lot of the workers found Levi hot but the majority didn’t dare to act upon it, Eren being one of them. Suddenly, she spoke up again, loud enough for Eren to hear.

“Do you mind if I come again another time, Mr. Ackerman? I’d hate to not go over the next portion of documents..”

Eren tensed up and pretended to focus hard on the paper in front of him but he knew his ears were waiting for Levi’s response.

“That would be efficient. Thank you, Nifa.”

At that response, the assistant’s heart dropped. The woman’s eyes flickered to Eren’s and a small snicker escaped her lips, catching the assistant off guard. After processing her mocking, the action sent a surge of anger into Eren as his grip on the receipts tightened, nearly crinkling them. For some reason, Nifa somehow caught on to his irritation but what annoyed him the most was the fact that she was rubbing it into his face.

Seeing the interaction made Eren’s blood boil and left him with a new task that wouldn't be about work, come Friday. He might regret it but he had nothing to lose. After all, if it went bad, Armin would likely be able to go through with the transfer request that Eren had pleaded for the previous month. A small part of him hoped Jean’s initial suspicion was actually right after all..


	3. Sneak a Peek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's chapter three. Hope this is okay. In addition, I just want to say this is a completely unbeta-ed story. There may be a very tiny amount of misspellings and such but I'll try to go back and fix them whenever I see them. I do double check my work but one or two incorrect spellings go right over me still.

Chapter 3  
Eren’s POV

The end of the weekdays had finally arrived. It was Friday and all the workers were exhausted but relieved, except for one.

Eren was very much tired and could more than use an hour long bath and eternal slumber but one factor was keeping him on his toes. A factor that Armin was currently chewing him out for at 3 o’ clock in the late afternoon.

“Are you crazy..!? You’re actually suicidal, what if you get fired?? How are you going to explain to Mikasa you’ve lost another job!?”

Armin had long since rushed to close his office door, shooting frantic glances behind Eren at his office door in case anybody came in at any moment. Eren was spending his short break at Armin’s as always but the news he gave to his blond friend was a bit more extreme than usual.

Eren merely shrugged and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and casting an uncaring look at Armin who had anything but indifference on his face.

“Well, you’re the only one who knows about my preferences at work so I just thought I’d let you know how I wanted to test the waters..”  
“Eren, I think the issue here is that you’re testing the waters at all!”

Eren casually hummed as the blond gawked at him, sky blue irises blown wide in disbelief before they narrowed in suspicion at the other, searching for any signs of reason for the given news.

“Why are you deciding to test the waters now..?”

Armin’s question made Eren twitch nervously in response, signifying to the blue eyed employee that he was getting warmer with his guesses. Suspicion painted his words as he continued interrogating the brunette.

“..is it because of what Sasha said about Petra?”

Eren remained unresponsive, staring off into the distance as Armin slowly spoke up again, his next question slightly teasing.

“..or is it because of Nifa?”

The mention of the auburn headed female threw Eren off guard as he snapped his head back towards Armin with wide green orbs, earning a satisfied smile from Armin.

“..How do you even know about that??”

The blond merely smiled at him before crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair as well.

“Let’s just say my department is a gossiping hotspot..Plus, I saw Nifa head into Levi’s office a lot more times than ever this week. Did you forget that the section I work in is in between Hanji’s and Levi’s? Also, her skirt seems to be getting shorter every time she passes by.”

Letting out a groan, Eren yanked at the ends of his hair and stared at the ceiling angrily. Nifa didn’t come by every single day but it felt like it. Eren didn’t understand why Levi didn’t complain either but then again, it wasn’t like the female came without reason as she always had some form of work that needed to be addressed.

“It’s so annoying, Armin! I don’t even know why she suddenly started coming by so often! She’s distracting and it’s so much harder to get my work done.”  
“She’s probably always been looking for a way to and this client is one that deals with both Hanji and Levi. She probably jumped at the chance to be a messenger between your guys’ departments.”  
“Okay, well I don’t care then! Either way, I’ve got nothing to lose..what if he actually starts liking her? What if he isn’t engaged and I lose my chance to test it out? I’ll die inside if.. ”

Eren trailed off and remembrance of the earlier issue came back to Armin as he shot a look of panicked worry at the assistant.

“Eren, are you actually going to..?”  
“Armin, think about it. There’s no way I’m going to get fired over it. Maybe a warning if Levi dares to say something but it’s worth it if I can figure out what’s running through that head of his-”  
“Eren.”

Armin emphasized the other’s name in his mouth and a look of disdain came over his face. The blond knew at this point that there was no stopping Eren. Whenever the other put his mind to it, there was nothing that could prevent it. A pregnant silence fell over them before Armin let out a sigh and looked at Eren in exasperation.

“...have you been wearing them all day?”  
“Yep.”

Enunciating the P in his response with a pop, Eren whistled with a smirk as Armin rolled his eyes.

“You know I gave you those as a gag gift, right? I can’t believe you held onto them let alone are wearing them.”

The brunette flashed a charming grin at his friend before shrugging.

“They’re actually not uncomfortable. Plus, they do make my ass look great.”

Armin sputtered as his face turned red at Eren’s purr.

“E-Eren..!”

The green eyed teen checked his phone before standing up and laughing.

“Okay, my break is about to end so I’ll see you later at home. Gonna wish me luck at least?”

Shooting Eren a scolding but playful look, Armin pursed his lips before sighing again. He rolled his eyes and gave his best friend a knowing smile.

“You won’t need luck if you’re wearing what I gave you. Go work it.”

Eren’s grin widened before he waved bye to Armin.

——-

“Eren, did you get the files for next friday sorted yet?”  
“I’ll do that right now, sir.”

Eren replied immediately, seated at his desk and remaining composed on the outside. Internally though, the brunette was overwhelmed with tension and a dreaded excitement panged in his ribcage with each heartbeat. It was an hour before he was supposed to pack up and head home for the weekend. It was now or never.

Getting up from his chair, Eren casually walked over to the drawers in the office to retrieve the necessary files. He glanced at the glass reflection to see his boss behind him. Levi was taking a sip from his coffee cup, fingers holding it up by the rim, but his eyes were covered behind it currently, unable to see within that second.

Holding his breath, the assistant nonchalantly bent over and pulled open the drawer, the lack of a belt allowing his trousers to tug down the slightest bit.

Levi had pulled his cup away from his face and was completely thrown off guard by what he saw.

.....!?!?

His assistant was bent over rummaging for papers, his caramel skin tantalizingly covered in sexy green laced underwear. The provocative garment peeked from the top of grey slacks, completely unexpected underneath the business outfit his assistant was wearing.

Choking on his coffee at the view, the raven haired male’s eyes widened in shock. The hot liquid went down the wrong pipe and the older male struggled to set down the cup as he desperately hacked out the bitter liquid. Eren quickly stood back up at the sound, lace panties slipping back under the tight grey pants, no longer visible. He whipped his head around to face Levi with a worried, astounded look.

“Sir, are you okay??”

Concern filled Eren’s voice as he clutched onto his files, waiting for Levi to be able to speak up or motion in response. Caught off guard, the shorter worker shook his head slowly, actively trying to focus on coughing up his drink instead of the unexpected image that was now teasing his memory.

His boss sharply inhaled and stared hard at Eren, the tiniest hint of a flush in his face.

“..Eren..”  
“Yes?”

Rasping out his assistant’s name, he harshly cleared his throat one last time before meeting the other’s eyes. They were big and endearing like a puppy’s as they gazed back at Levi’s. The assistant replied innocently, waiting for his boss’ next words.

The dark minded employee remained in his chair, tensed up and unsure of how to go about the situation he suddenly found himself in. Should he address it or ignore it?

Eren stared at him, unblinking and Levi simply stared back, silent tension filling the air.

“..The files..are not necessary at this very moment. You can go home early.”

Muttering as he forced himself to break eye contact, Eren seemed dumbfounded before regaining his composure.

“Oh..thank you, sir. But I can stay..”

That was one quality that Levi respected about his assistant. Eren was incredibly hard working and determined as an employee. Although Levi was incredibly demanding and aware of it, the other was able to keep up and put in one hundred and ten percent effort into everything. However, this was the one time that his worker’s insistence was not necessary. Levi snapped his head back towards Eren, directing a blood curdling glare at him.

“Go. Home.”

The demand sent a shiver down Eren’s spine as he choked out a yes. The younger man began rushing to pack up his stuff as Levi remained seated, knuckles white as his hands were tightly interlaced. It took every inch of his will to remain concentrated on the surface of his desk and ignore the throbbing tent in his pants.


	4. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody. Here is chapter four for this week.  
> As you can notice, I have been posting a new chapter every weekend and I'll probably be keeping it this way. So expect new uploads weekly for the most part on Saturdays or Sundays. I'll try to maintain this schedule depending on how busy I am. Thank you for your comments and kudos so far and I'm glad that you guys like it. :)

Chapter 4  
 _Levi’s POV_

"Hanji, how well do you know Eren?"

It was the middle of a new week on Wednesday, where Levi and Hanji were currently in the tall female's office during lunch break. Levi was standing up with a small stack of papers in his hand as Hanji was wolfing down a granola bar, her chewing coming to a pause at her friend's question. Swallowing the bite in her mouth, she then turned to face Levi with surprise. It was unusual for Levi to bring someone up of his own accord. It was usually Hanji who would start conversations about others or relentlessly annoy Levi until he gave in and started speaking. An entertained grin pulled at her face before she placed her elbows on her desk and rested her chin in her hands.

"Don't you find it funny that you need to ask me about _your_ assistant?"

Levi shot the other an unamused glare as he frowned.

"Just shut up and answer the question, four eyes."

Hanji laughed at her coworker's snapping before picking up a pencil and spinning it in her hand.

"Well, I'd say I probably know him better than you do if you're asking _me_ who's not even from the same department. But what I want to know.."

She trailed off, pushed off from her desk to launch across the room, stopping her swiveling chair right next to Levi who's stony eyes remained fixed on her, waiting.

"..why are you mentioning Eren all of a sudden?"

Hanji's face twisted into thought as she tapped her lips impatiently. A minute didn't pass for Hanji to suddenly light up and turn to Levi with a look of fear.

"Oh no, did he find out some deep, dark secret of yours!?"

The brown haired employee gasped with a terrified expression. Hanji then grabbed Levi by the arms and shook him while wailing in distress.

"LEVI, please don't kill him!! He's my favorite employee of yours- he even brings me _snacks_!! You couldn't murder a big puppy like him, he's SO sweet!"

Hanji's loud whines shortened Levi's temper with each word, making the raven male growl as he yanked his arms out of the other's grasp.

"I have no intention of murdering him, shitty glasses."

Hanji stopped reaching for the raven haired male's arms and tilted her head in confusion.

"So you don't hate him enough to kill him off?"  
"No. Eren can be rough around the edges, but I don't hate him."

Hanji rested her hands on her hips before scoffing in disbelief.

"Huh...I see..but not really though because now I have no idea why you're asking about him suddenly. You're not the type to usually tread around it. You usually just nip things in the bud and deal with it right off the bat..so what gives??"

Raising an eyebrow at the other, Hanji stood up from her chair and got in Levi's face, suspicion and excitement oozing off her as Levi sharply inhaled. He looked away, hesitating. A part of him felt unsure whether the situation was one he would want to confess about let alone whether it was considered a breach of privacy.

The short boss met Hanji's eyes once again and pursed his lips. She was one of his two best friends, and he was confident she wouldn't go spreading it around as much as she was a chatterbox. He trusted her. Whether his trust and closeness to her entailed him being able to live down what he was about to tell her, however, was a whole other situation.

Hanji sensed Levi's reserved behavior right off the bat and furrowed her brows before grinning.

"If you're worried about me telling anybody, then you'd know I'd never! How long have we known each other, short stuff? I'll tell you whatever it is you need to know about that tall kiddo if you start spilling the beans~"

Levi scowled again at Hanji's offer, shooting her a dirty glare that she received with enthusiasm. When it came down to it, she was right though. He just wanted answers and possibly a trusted second party's opinion on the situation.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Levi closed his eyes in vexation as his eyebrows knitted together. Hanji waited silently with wide eyes as she was practically on the edge of her seat.

"Let's say...you see something that you weren't supposed to see...but it wasn't..professional..or even appropriate to address.."

At this sentence, a look of bewilderment was on Hanji as she waved her hands around in confusion and desperation.

"What?? What does that mean!? Was Eren doing something illegal?? Was he giving out private information?"  
"No.."  
"What!? Even worse? Was he stealing or something?"  
"What?? No."  
"Even worse!?"

Hanji gasped before turning to Levi with a horrified expression and continuing to spout the next extreme theory.

"Harassment in the workplace!?"

Levi's eyes widened the slightest bit as Hanji's guesses only grew more out of hand. Her volume raised, causing him to shove his hand in her face for silence and finally cut her off.

"No. Fuck no, why-"

Levi sighed in frustration as Hanji's eyes stared back at him owlishly, her voice coming out in muffled sounds between Levi's fingers.

"Hanji, if it was something as simple as harassment or groping somebody, I would have fired his ass on the spot."

Staring skeptically at the other, Hanji finally quieted down, waiting for Levi to finally let her speak again. She breathed deeply before clenching her hands into little fists under her chin, her brown eyes sparkling with desperation for an answer.

"Then what is it, Levi!? Why is it taking you so long to answer? I need to know before lunch ends..! He's tall and bigger than us, but the poor boy looks so innocent, and now I'm so lost and need to know! What could he possibly be capable of!?"

He internally scoffed. Innocent? Maybe he'd have believed that before but not so much anymore.

Levi's face contorted with uncertainty, but he remained absolute on his decision to tell the other. Glancing at the door to ensure they still had privacy, the male's hand ran through his hair before he began speaking quietly.

"Eren...I think he forgot his belt at home or some shit, last Friday..so when he bent down...I may have gotten a view of his..backside."

Hanji blinked slowly. The bewildered look on her face dropped as she scoffed in disbelief before throwing her hands in the air and whining.

"So you saw some of his butt?? You seriously got me all worked up for nothing-"  
"He was wearing lacy panties."

Levi cut Hanji off and spoke quickly in a hiss. The unexpected answer made Hanji's eyes widen until they were as big as saucers. The male took a deep breath before slowly continuing when his friend made no recovery from her surprise yet.

"Eren had on these..these green lacy panties..it looked like women's underwear..and I didn't know if or how to tell him that I saw it."

Hanji stared back in surprise as Levi pulled at his cravat, uncomfortable. She then spoke up again in a more hushed tone.

"Well...I guess everybody has their preferences..though I'm surprised to hear that about Eren. But I don't understand why you're so worked up..you usually mind your own business! Unless..?"

Hanji tilted her head in confusion, waiting for an answer from her friend.

Levi's jaw tightened before he looked away, speaking in a voice that was barely a whisper and confessed.

"I don't know why okay?"

Narrowing his eyes as he hissed, Hanji merely nodded and remained silent, waiting for him to continue, which he eventually did.

"...Before I realized it...I got..hard. I had to send him home early for the day so he wouldn't notice."

Hanji's jaw dropped open, eyes practically bugging out at Levi's confession in silence. The shorter male scowled and smacked her on the head, glaring at her.

"Stop ogling me like I grew ten eyes and start speaking!"

Hanji struggled but just barely managed to successfully regain her composure. Scratching the back of her head in disbelief, she began speaking up in a high pitched voice.

"Well...I can't say I'm not shocked! I know the boy has long hair…"

Wading in silence, Hanji fidgeted before peeking at her friend out of the corner of her eye and speaking up.

"..you know Eren is a guy, right?"

Levi rolled his eyes at Hanji before scoffing.

"Yes, I'm aware he has a dick, Hanji. The kid is huge. Practically towers over me too."

The female was giddy with excitement, practically bouncing off the walls as she clasped Levi's hands with a crazy look in her eyes.

"Oh my god, Levi. And it's a guy on top of that!? You know I'll love you no matter what Levi but I'm shocked..! Ohmygod, we need to tell Erwin-"  
"We are not telling anybody jack shit. I can't have Erwin looking at me with the same crazed look you are and teasing me about it. I told you this in confidence. I don't know what to make of this situation... I'm not gay or interested in quirky temperamental brats last time I checked."

Hanji gushed in awe before cooing at a very irked Levi.

"Aweee, our short stack here is all embarrassed!"

Levi shot her another death glare, and thankfully Hanji knew it was probably a good time to start actually addressing the situation.

"Well... I'm pretty sure I know you well, but just to reassure ourselves..have you ever had any secret boyfriend in the past that I never knew about? Dated or liked any guys before?"  
"No. Only one girlfriend and you know who."  
"Hmm..I'm still shocked about Eren. I can't imagine him wearing something like that..well- I can because he is quite handsome. I'm sure the view was-"  
"Hanji, can we get back on track?"

The female looked back at Levi and cleared her throat before laughing.

"Sorry about that! But...I can't help but wonder.."

Hanji leaned down and got close to her friend, who scowled.

"Why were you looking down there, Levi? I doubt you would have noticed without glancing in that direction unless Eren was plainly mooning you. And I doubt he was if he seemed to not notice his wardrobe malfunction.."

Levi tensed up at Hanji's suspicion, scowling at her before shoving her face away.

"I don't know what you're getting at, crazy eyes."

Staring at Levi with a knowing smile, Hanji shrugged before falling back into her chair and pushing herself off in the direction of her desk. She decided not to further press Levi about what they both knew.

"Honestly, Eren can be a bit hard-headed, but he's a sweet kid who cares a lot about his work. It's so hard to not want to pet him whenever he drops by! He's like a big puppy with those big green eyes, and his hair is so soft! I managed to touch it one time for an experiment I was doing! I'm glad you kept him around.."

Levi let out a sharp breath of amusement at Hanji before glancing at the clock for the fifth time. He had ten minutes left, but he'd prefer to get back to work earlier than later.

"His hair may be whatever you think, but it was horribly messy. Thankfully that brat has it tied up now as I told him to. I'm getting back to work and forgetting about this, it's ridiculous."

"Wait..!"

Stopping in his tracks, Levi turned to face Hanji.

"What about Petra..?"

The two stood there awkwardly before Levi exhaled sharply.

"What about her? I confided in you, but I'm telling you that it was just a physical reaction. It's nothing more. My relationship with Petra won't be hindered by something like this."  
"Well..if you say so..tell that ray of sunshine, tell her I said hi though since you're going to be with her after work!"

Levi nodded before leaving the room. Hanji hollered a goodbye to him and turned the corner only to bump into a familiar figure carrying a box. A small oof came from them before oval golden eyes met his and clicked with realization.

"Oh..! Mr. Ackerman, I'm so sorry! That was so clumsy of me, I apologize.."  
"Don't worry about it, Nifa."

Glancing at Nifa and her suggestive attire, Levi's jaw tightened with a self-confirmation. He definitely still found himself attracted to women..so why did his body react that way to a man at all? He wasn't homosexual. Maybe his mind got tricked into thinking Eren was a woman in that instance from the sight of lace and long hair combined.

..yes, that's what it probably was. In combination with unintentional sexual abstinence, Levi was probably just physically deprived.

Dusting himself off, Levi looked up to see two figures instead of just one in front of him. Eren was trailing behind Nifa with two of his own boxes to carry, He quickly looked away once his eyes met Levi's. The evasion ticked the shorter male off for some reason, but he decided to shove the small pang of hurt aside quickly and ignore it was even there in the first place. Nodding slowly, Levi greeted his assistant briefly.

"Eren."  
"Afternoon, sir."

Eren addressed his boss quickly, a small hint of relief in his eyes at his boss' recognition. Nifa glanced between the two before shifting the package in her hands and lowering it slightly, revealing cleavage. Levi slightly raised his eyebrow but didn't stare any lower. He kept his eye level above once noticing her casual but forward move.

Sharply inhaling, the shorter male started walking past the two, forgetting to ask why Jaeger was headed towards Hanji's office. Probably just to help Nifa with the boxes. He decided to brush it off for now.


	5. Forming Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, here is another update.
> 
> I just want to say thank you for following my story but disclaimer that of course you can dislike characters but all of them have different sides and stories. The female characters in this story will be well rounded as well and are not here merely to be bad guys.

Chapter 5  
 _Eren’s POV_

Half a week had passed since Eren's bold move, and the interaction left him conflicted. He most definitely knew Levi saw it, but he couldn't tell how the other took it. Oh, wait..he could. His boss didn't give him longer than a minute before suddenly sending him home. While he didn't know why that was the response to his scheme, Eren was more than glad to take the early leave.

Levi's reaction left him confused, but one thing was certain. His boss was most definitely looking at his ass or at least in his direction. Eren's face was slightly flushed at the thought, and he was deep in thought before he heard a couple knocks.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Ackerman here?"

Frowning at the familiar voice, Eren tore his eyes away from the computer to see Nifa standing in the doorway. Irritation pulled at the male, but he nevertheless replied shortly and professionally.

"I'm sorry, Nifa, he isn't here. He decided to eat lunch today, so he isn't in the office."  
"Hmm..that's too bad."

Pouting as she tucked a hair behind her ear, the petite woman trailed off. Eren paid her no attention but didn't hear the expected sound of receding footsteps after a minute. Sparing a glance up, he noticed Nifa still standing there, hip jutted out, and arms crossed as she stared back at the tall male with big eyes.

"...can I help you with something?"

Eren questioned the female as his right eyebrow arched, visibly irritated now. Nifa's usual doe-eyed expression wasn't there, and a skeptical expression was on her face instead.

"I just wanted to know why you like Mr. Ackerman."

...huh?

The tall male stiffened briefly in shock, a pause of silence washing over the office. However, he kept his composure but began speaking in a tightened voice.

"..Of course, I like Mr. Ackerman. He's a strict but respectable boss."

Turning back to his screen, Eren mentally prayed for the petite woman to go silently fuck off or magically disappear. But no, of course, something that required so much wishful thinking wouldn't ever happen. After all, life seemed to always be ready to screw up everything for Eren Jaeger. The first case was him catching feelings for his boss. Nifa laughed before walking over. Sitting on the edge of Eren's desk to Eren's annoyance, she ignored his displeasure at her presence. Crossing her legs, Hanji's employee narrowed her eyes as a smug knowing adorned her small face.

"Drop the act, Eren. I could practically even smell it off you the very day we started knowing of each other."

Eren clenched his jaw, remaining calm but also feeling shaken. Nifa continued in her hissing purr, an attitude that was the complete opposite of her usual one whenever his boss was present. It's true that if Nifa was currently talking to fifteen-year-old Eren, he would have already gone off on her and yelled to the hills. But this was adult Eren, and although he still was stubborn and unswaying at heart, he knew when to bite down on his tongue to keep himself from going into hysterics..for the most part. It was still a work in progress.

"You wanna know why I can tell?"

Eren's lips were pressed into a thin line, but he remained silent, glaring back at Nifa with animosity. However, she didn't seem fazed and smirked at the male's silence, taking it to be his way of begrudgingly saying yes. She began checking out her nails.

"My ex-boyfriend turned out to be gay and, even worse, was crushing on somebody else. I should have seen all the red flags..him staring at that man with endearment, eager to do anything he was asked of..the way he'd have this look of 'feel-good hurt' in his eyes whenever he looked at that guy.."

Eren swallowed thickly, remaining quiet as he watched Nifa gracefully tuck a straying hair behind her ear. Suddenly, she leaned in close to Eren, but the male remained still, refusing to back up.

"..You look at Mr. Ackerman the exact same way."

The male's blood ran cold in his veins as he stared back at Nifa with a mixture of mostly hostility but fear as well. He wanted to deny it immediately and opened his mouth to laugh at her and call her stupid, but no words came out.

It didn't matter. Whatever Eren said, she knew it would be bullshit. She knew she was right.

The auburn-haired female kicked herself off from Eren's desk, studying him for a second before shrugging.

"I think it's apparent that I'm trying to bag your boss. He isn't half bad, and he is definitely hot too, not to mention rich."

Rubbing her fingers together at the mention of money, she cocked her head at Eren. She looked at him with amused pity, pissing the assistant off.

"Maybe you'd have a chance if you were a woman, but you aren't. On top of that, you're basically a giant at 6 feet..way too tall for him. Is that why you grew your hair out? In hopes that it would help against the obvious fact that you're a dude? Imagine how horrified Mr. Ackerman would be if he knew his assistant wanted to _fuck_ him-"

Snickering at Eren, the male gritted his teeth before cutting her off and speaking in an even but heated voice.

"It's none of your business, and I don't care what you think you know."  
"Ah..well, that's fine. I stayed here for another reason besides calling you out on your bull. Hanji needed someone from your team to help me with the boxes."

Pointing at the pile of cardboard packages in the corner, Nifa smiled sweetly at Eren as he scoffed. He was definitely not fond of the other in any way, but he liked Hanji still, and this was his job. If Nifa expected him to be petty by saying no and giving her a reason to complain about him, she was very wrong.

Eren slowly stood up and walked over to the boxes, grabbing two while Nifa picked up one. There was still tension, but the woman seemed utterly casual about it, humming cheerily. She began walking out the door with Eren resentfully following. Nifa glanced over at him before speaking up.

"You know, I decided to say something because I wouldn't want you to get your hopes up. It would be even sadder to see you delusional and thinking you could possibly get together with Levi. Too tall and childish and even worse, a man."

Eren's nostrils flared as he glared a hole into the back of Nifa's head. Maybe she was butthurt from her ex-boyfriend being gay, but it didn't justify her homophobic commentary. Opening his mouth to snap back at her, Eren never got the chance as the minute they rounded the corner, Nifa bumped into somebody.

"Oh..! Mr. Ackerman, I'm so sorry! That was so clumsy of me, I apologize.."  
"Don't worry about it, Nifa."

Jerking his head up, the assistant realized the person Nifa collided into was his boss. Eren internally rolled his eyes at the woman's fake sugary voice, deciding to sneak a glance at his boss. Once he glanced at him, the taller male froze as his eyes were met with icy grey ones that we're already staring at him. He quickly looked away, still feeling the backlash of Nifa's commentary about himself. As much as he disliked her, a small part of him couldn't help but feel she was possibly right. Maybe he was dumb for feeling something besides respect for Levi. But perhaps she was dumb too for thinking he couldn't try.

"Eren."

Hearing his name, Eren's head snapped back and faced Levi. Feeling embarrassed for not addressing his boss first, he replied quickly, a sense of happiness swelling at the bottom of his heart at the addressing.

"Afternoon, sir."

Nifa cast a side-eye at Eren who ignored it, straightening his posture as they continued walking, his steps more cheerful.

"..really? Just cause he greeted you? You're hopeless."

Nifa scoffed as the assistant ignored her. It didn't matter what she said, Eren was hellbent on finding an answer from Levi, regardless of whether the auburn female had said something in the first place or not.

\-----

"Nifa, did you manage to get some of the boxe- oh! Eren..!!"

The female boss's eyes lit up with joy at the sight of Eren, rushing over to greet him like usual. When entering the room, Hanji could be clearly seen drowning in stacks of paper. Eren wasn't sure why but the eccentric woman always seemed to have a soft spot for him. It may have been all the times he'd give her his lunch though since he didn't have time to eat it himself every now and then since Levi worked him like a dog. Laughing, Eren set the boxes down just in time to get crushed into a hug by the other who then started running her fingers through his hair.

"This is a pleasant surprise! Your hair is so soft like always, like petting a dog..!"

Laughing nervously at Hanji's hyperness, Eren finally managed to peel Hanji off of him before dryly smiling.

"Well, we all know who works me like one."  
"Oh my, is that sass I hear coming from you? Quite bold of you to say that in front of the best friend of that person~"

Eren pouted before crossing his arms and feigning a wounded look.

"Ms. Zoe, you wouldn't dare make my days harder, would you?"

Clasping her hands together, Hanji's eyes widened before she threw her head back and laughed.

"Of course I would never, Eren! All jokes, of course."

By then, Nifa had already set down her box and left the room to work at her desk, leaving Hanji and Eren to themselves. Pouring a cup of water for Eren, she waved him over.

"Ms. Zoe, as much as I love our talks, I only have a few minutes until I have to start walking back to my department-"  
"No, no, don't worry about it, Eren! I just wanted to talk with you since it's been so long! I'll make sure to let Levi know I refused to let you leave if you're late."

Eren hesitated and glanced at his watch. He had ten minutes to spare at the most and barely make it back on time. Deciding to not waste any more seconds, he slowly walked over and sat down nervously. Hanji was definitely one of the more easygoing bosses if not the most laid back, but he still didn't want to upset her by declining her invitation.

"Soo Eren...I just wanted to ask how life is going and all that.."  
"Oh..! Um, it's..okay? I mean, nothing different, really. How are you, Ms. Zoe?"

Smiling back at him, she poured a glass of water before sliding it over to Eren.

"I'm doing just great. You're such a sweetie for asking! We never have time to talk too much, Eren! It's such a shame.."  
"Ahaha...I agree?"

Eren replied with a nervous smile before glancing around the office. Hanji was most definitely an extreme type of person. Still, he couldn't help but be weirded out by the sudden invitation to sit down and talk, especially when there wasn't much free time at a company like this.

"I was just wondering, Eren- How's life outside of work? Any new hobbies..interests..? I hope Levi isn't working you too hard that your girlfriend would be mad at you for the extra hours!"

Eren tilted his head in confusion before laughing.

"I guess I haven't had much time outside of work to do anything extreme. I spend most of my time in the office, but it's a sacrifice I'm obviously willing to make for the pay and job..so I wouldn't have time for a girlfriend but I do like video games and reading occasionally."

Hanji clasped her hands together, listening intently as Eren picked up the glass and slowly drank from it.

"Ooh, that's interesting! But aw, no girlfriend? That must be unfortunate. You're in the prime years to go get one! You don't want to end up like Levi, do you? Years upon years of nothing but work while you’re in your prime twenties!"

Whispering the last sentence with a wink, Eren stifled a laugh before setting his cup down.

"I just choose not to devote my time to one for now by choice, so it isn't too bad."  
"You're already..nineteen? I know a few girls that you might like!"

At Hanji's suggestion, Eren paled before shaking his head with an anxious laugh. His fingers unconsciously reached upwards to pull at the ends of his hair again.

"Oh no..I'm not interested, but thank you."

Hanji frowned before tapping her lips and feigning surprise suddenly, her eyes widening.

"Oh my- I apologize! It's 2020, after all, I should have asked if you wanted a boyfriend instead?"

Eren tensed up in his chair, sea-green eyes widening before his face flushed. Tightening his grip on his knees, the male warily glanced at the clock before shooting off his chair.

"The time..! I need to go- it was nice talking to you, Mrs. Zoe!"

The female smiled innocently before waving Eren off as he already started walking to the door.

"No problem, Eren! See you next time!"

Watching the tall figure disappear down the hallway, Hanji hid a maniacal smile behind her hands as she watched Eren off in amusement. The kid was as straight as a wet noodle. The cogs in the female boss' mind began to shift, slowly speeding up with each second. Maybe it was about time her friend had a little spice in his life, except it would be with someone Hanji had never considered until now. Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to try setting up a plan with a guy for once.


	6. Team Building Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized I've been pasting the chapters in HTML..so the italics and other special styles I've been applying have been getting removed in the previous chapters. From now on, I'm going to make sure I use rich text instead.

**Chapter 6**

_Levi’s POV_

“Alright, everybody gather around! It’s Team Building Day!”

It was a Tuesday morning, and all of the Survey Corps office employees were gathered in the main meeting room on the first floor. Every year, Erwin would arrange a day for all bosses and their employees to practice team-building exercises to ‘keep up the morale’ and ‘encourage teamwork and build strengths.’ All of which Levi called flowery bullshit, but nevertheless, he begrudgingly came but never cooperated. Each department was seated together with their boss, except for Erwin, who was in the center of the room as CEO.

The tall blond man flashed a charming smile at everybody, causing multiple women to giddily smile back. Levi rolled his eyes. He was one of the only three people who really knew Erwin’s relationship status. These girls were wasting their time if they were trying to bag the big oaf. Levi leaned back in his chair, stretching out his arm and resting it on the chair left of him. Seeing a jerking movement out of the corner of his eye, he remembered it was his assistant sitting in the seat.

A couple weeks had passed since the incident, and Eren had generally acted normal for the most part. Still, Levi was observant enough to be able to tell there was a difference. Whenever he got near Eren in any way, the other’s behavior would become erratic and panicky. Levi suspected it had something to do with Hanji. The change of attitude only started after his assistant returned from her office that day, blushing and speechless.

Levi wasn’t one to care about how others perceived him for the most part or even behaved around him, but Eren irritated him. Every time he would enter a room, Eren would suddenly start squeaking about having some business to attend to and scurry away like a puppy with its tail between its legs. In addition, Levi once seemed to accidentally brush against Eren’s hand when receiving the files to have the other jerk his fingers back as if he just touched ice. The files fell out of his hand and scattered everywhere. Small actions here and there slowly built up. Soon enough, Levi’s head was filled with annoying questioning thoughts about the reason behind his assistant’s behavior that wouldn’t leave. Was his assistant that scared of him? On top of it all, the image of Eren bending down in lace underwear was the one memory that absolutely refused to leave his mind. 

Noticing Eren’s tensed up posture amused Levi as his assistant seemed to care about Levi’s arm on the top of his chair for whatever reason. Still, Eren didn’t seem to move away from him. Levi kept his eyes on Erwin, listening to his speech and run through of the activities. Eren seemed to be trying to pay attention, as well.

“...These exercises will build upon and recognize our strengths as individuals and team players and help develop our weaknesses. You will all be working with your own department of course as that is the whole point of these events. While last time was a group exercise, we will be going into pairs of two to try the handcuff exercise. This is important for the sake of future assignments or projects where teams will consist of only two. Using these ropes, you will be tied together, and every pair that can fully escape and stand side to side will be able to take a break until after lunch from the time they finish.”

The whole room buzzed in excitement at the prospect of such a long break, and soon enough, every division was offered a box of ropes. Glancing back on his team for the first time, Levi noticed their size was dwindled down by one, making his employees into an odd-numbered total. Narrowing his eyes, Levi realized that the two-toned hair brat that always was making a ruckus with Eren wasn’t present today. No wonder it seemed a lot quieter. He didn’t have to deal with the two of them clambering around like fools for once. The department’s other workers seemed to notice too. His employee, Connie, began tapping Eren on the shoulder and whispering to him. Levi wasn’t trying to listen in, but his employee’s volume wasn’t the quietest. The older man's hearing was more than adequate to pick up the conversation going on right next to him.

“Oi, Eren...Jean’s not here today..who are you going to pair up with?”

Eren’s eyes widened in surprise at the realization of the odd numbers before shrugging with a frown.

“I don’t know, Connie...I don’t wanna get in trouble for not participating, though..”

The frantic whispers didn’t cease as Connie and Eren kept conversing, causing Levi’s right eye to twitch in slight annoyance. As much as he wasn’t enthusiastic about it, he was still trying to focus on Erwin’s stupid blabbering. Sharply turning to the left, Levi glared at the two.

“This isn’t highschool, shut those flaps you call lips and stop talking!”

Cutting off the two mid-sentence, Levi’s employees quickly snapped their mouths shut with big eyes, staring at him with apologetic looks. Their boss sharply exhaled in frustration. He was probably going to regret this.

“I’ll do this idiotic exercise with Jeager if you’re so panicked about it. Problem fucking solved?”

Eren’s eyes widened in surprise at his boss’ arrangement. Still, he remained quiet nevertheless, slowly nodding before turning his head back forward to face Erwin. The rest of Levi’s employees were left shocked, having overheard their boss. Levi, their merciless boss, willingly participating in these exercises together with them?? It was definitely never heard of before. The odd set up left workers baffled and glancing at each other in mutual surprise.

After five more minutes of speaking, Erwin finally gave the departments the go-ahead to grab their ropes.

Levi sighed before standing up and speed walking to the boxes, expecting of Eren to follow right after, which he did. Snatching a rope, Levi made brief eye contact with Erwin, who was holding the box. The blond man’s eyebrows raised in surprise. He looked at his shorter friend with amusement, silently conveying a want to discuss the reason behind Levi’s participation afterward. Levi simply scowled before walking off with his assistant, who was speed walking after him. For someone with such short height, Levi walked fast enough to leave Eren consciously making an effort to keep up after him.

Throughout the rope collecting, people from all departments did a double take at Levi walking to the middle of the room with the rest of them. Levi’s ruthless work ethics and cold demeanor were infamous amongst his own department and the Survey Corps. It was an unspoken expectation to see Satan’s incarnate on the sidelines, non participating, and uncaring about the ensued activities.

Levi glanced at Eren, who stood next to him, staring straight ahead with stiff shoulders. The assistant seemed tensed up and on edge as expected.

“Oi..”

As Levi clicked his tongue at the other, Eren quickly turned to face him with those big ocean green eyes. Levi’s breath stilled for a moment. He was used to the other speaking to him from a distance or without direct eye contact. Eren didn’t lack in the looks department, which left Levi wondering if the reason his assistant was wearing such a garment that day was that it was for his partner. Regardless, that meant Eren’s girlfriend had abnormal preferences. Although it was different, Levi wasn’t one to judge. It wasn’t any of his business anyway.

Levi quickly snapped back to the present and sighed before motioning for Eren to show his hands. Eren lifted his sleeves and held his wrists out, looking down and refusing to hold eye contact with his superior. _Really?_ Levi always found this habit frustrating and sharply exhaled before snatching Eren’s wrist, earning a surprising jolt from his assistant at the contact.

Eren’s olive skin was hot to the touch, contrasting with Levi’s naturally chilly body temperature. Slipping the rope around his assistant’s wrist, he swiftly tightened it, tugging at it to ensure its snugness. Grabbing the other wrist, he repeated his actions. He glanced up to see the other overly concentrated on his own tied up limbs, refusing to look anywhere else. Levi scoffed before reaching and grabbing a fistful of Eren’s shirt in a lunch money grab. Yanking him down and forward, silver piercing eyes met shocked green ones.

“Stop being so tense. You look like I’m about to eat you for dinner.”

Growling in a low voice, Levi’s voice had less aggression than usual. He swiftly let go of Eren’s shirt as the other nodded slowly before straightening his back. Eren seemed taken aback, causing Levi to roll his eyes and speak up again in a lighter tone.

“I’m trying to help us both out. You do want to have a longer break, don’t you, Jaeger? You can imagine I’m the big bad wolf or something if that’s less scary to you.”

Eren stared back at Levi, silent and shocked at the dry joke. Levi was about to turn away in frustration at Eren’s silent gawking but was stopped with a snicker. His assistant’s lips pulled back to reveal a perfect set of pearly whites, laughing at his boss. Levi was taken aback briefly, not used to the sight of Eren laughing. Holding out his hands again, Eren held eye contact with Levi, amusement in his eyes.

“I think the big bad wolf is scarier than my boss. He’d actually eat me up while you’d give me filing reports for days.”

Scoffing in disbelief, Levi tightened the rope around his own wrist, interloping the rope with Eren’s before securing it on the other. A whistle rang through the room and signaled the beginning of the activity.

Shifting forward, Eren pressed his legs against his boss’ and pulled at one of his wrists, brows furrowed in concentration. Bending down, Eren glanced at Levi with a hint of embarrassment at the action caused by the height difference. The shorter male merely waved it off with a roll of his eyes. The difference couldn’t be helped, and he didn’t take offense to the accommodation.

Levi watched the other in amusement, standing still and observing his assistant’s face twist with confusion and frustration. At first, Eren was cautious, too nervous to try any extreme movements, in fear of irritating his superior. The worry was soon thrown aside as vexation overpowered the feeling. Throwing his arms around Levi’s shoulders, he pulled Levi in, earning a sharp inhale from his boss.

A significant amount of time had passed by now. The two found themselves in multiple odd twists and positions for every second of it, mostly due to Eren’s impulsive movements. The prolonged closeness left Levi feeling on edge. Every shift and change left Eren’s legs rubbing against his to the younger man’s hot breath tickling Levi’s ear. Levi restrained himself from shivering in response. These small interactions riled him up, except he didn’t understand why.

A few coworkers glanced over in surprise and wonder at the unusual sight of Levi getting twisted up in his assistant’s whims. Levi looked over to see Hanji looking at him and Eren in amusement, teasingly winking at him. Levi rolled his eyes as he watched his friend complete the puzzle quickly. Hanji pulled her wrists away from her assistant, Moblit, and let out a whoop of victory. Finally, Eren glanced sideways at Levi in exasperation, his arms around Levi’s neck, and resting on the other’s shoulders in exhaustion.

“So, are you going to help me, or am I to suffer alone?”

Levi turned to look up at Eren with a look of slight amusement. The assistant huffed at his boss’ silence before speaking up again.

“You know you’re stuck here, too, if I don’t solve this.”

Letting out a small breath close enough to a laugh, Levi waved his hands in indifference. Initially, he was more than happy to get this over with and head back to the office, but the activity showed him a different side of Eren. One where the younger man wasn’t on edge around him for once and arguably comfortable. Well, as comfortable as one could be when tied up with his boss.

Speaking up in an uncaring tone, Levi stared back at Eren, expressionless.

“What if I told you I’ve known the answer to this exercise this whole time?”

Eren’s green eyes snapped wide with disbelief before he let out a disbelieving scoff.

“...are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

Levi looked in amusement at Eren as his assistant attempted to throw his hands in the air in disbelief. Instead, the predicament made his hands yank Levi’s arms up in the process, and Eren quickly settled down upon realization and pouted. Levi found the expression endearing on the other but remained silent, waiting for the other’s response.

“Why didn’t you say anything!?”

Levi laughed in the other’s face.

“Because this exercise is for you.”

Eren narrowed his eyes in suspicion, causing Levi to look to the side and confess.

“..okay, it was a bit funny to see where you were going with this.”

Crinkling his nose in distaste, Eren let his head hang in frustration, burying it in Levi’s chest. The action had Levi slightly taken aback, the shorter man’s chin resting on the other’s head. Eren’s hair was soft and full, silky brown wisps tickling Levi’s nose as he breathed in a citrus scent. Hanji was right, Eren’s hair felt really silky. It made Levi want to run his fingers through it.

By this time, about a quarter of the room had completed the task. Even Sasha and Connie had just finished the exercise as soon as Connie promised his coworker an extra lunch upon completion. Levi rolled his eyes. If companies offered payment in food, Sasha would likely accept it in a heartbeat.

Glancing up in exasperation and amusement at Eren’s incoherent mumbling, Levi accidentally made eye contact with Erwin. The CEO looked at him from the center of the room with interest, clearly entertained by his friend’s behavior. Snapping back into his frigid default state, Levi felt a sense of annoyance like he was caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

“Alright, brat, I’ll give you the first step. But next time, you better get it right.”

“Huh? Next time? Oh, okay.”

Realizing his own words, Levi opened his mouth to correct himself but was cut off by Eren’s quick agreement to the unconsciously made offer. Eren finally lifted his head up and froze simultaneously with Levi. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. The close proximity threw Levi off guard along with the sudden closeness of Eren’s face. Emerald irises dilated in surprise, standing out beautifully against the assistant’s caramel skin as his lips were parted invitingly. Levi always knew his assistant did not lack in the looks department, but that information felt more supported than ever at the moment. Eren was handsome.

Thrown off guard again by his own unfiltered thought, Levi quickly regained his composure. He smacked the back of his assistant’s head, earning a yelp from the other. Levi tore his eyes away from Eren’s before gruffly speaking.

“Hurry up and lift your arms back over my head.”

Eren immediately complied, doing as he was told and placing the two back in their default position. Making sure Eren was watching, Levi raised an eyebrow at him as he wrapped the rope around Eren’s right wrist. The action seemed to significantly help as a mental lightbulb went off in his assistant’s head, his face coming to life with realization. Green irises lightened up with childish excitement as lips parted in sudden understanding. Quickly grabbing his rope, Eren grabbed the rope on Levi’s wrist, wringing his own through and over his boss’ hand.

Looking at him with a bright smile, Eren finished slipping it through, completing the exercise, and earning an approving nod from Levi. He laughed in glee and waved the rope around his hand and thrust them up in relief. The display caused the corner of Levi’s lip to turn up and soft chuckle, making his assistant self-aware. Chewing his lower lip in embarrassment at his over hyperness, Eren flashed a nervous smile at Levi and scratched the back of his head. Finding the sight endearing, Levi shook his head in fake disappointment at the other’s kid-like behavior and slipped the rope off his wrists. Eren did the same, and they didn’t spare a second to head back to the office and work.

While Erwin did guarantee an extra long break, Levi’s tenacity for hard work held priority. He didn’t have to think long on his decision to get right back to his assignments. Not to his surprise, Eren followed right after like a huge obedient dog, a lighter note in his steps.

\-----

Half the workday was over, and it was ten minutes before the lunch break. However, since the exercise that morning, Eren had been on edge but in a different way. He didn’t seem scared to move around but rather fidgeting and all over the place instead. Levi ignored it for the most part, somewhat used to his assistant’s extremities in behavior. The two quietly worked away, sitting across from each other at Levi’s desk to split the work. Suddenly, Eren broke the silence, catching his boss off guard with his next words.

“I’m sorry..!”

Levi paused, mid shuffle in his papers. Looking up at the other, Levi raised an eyebrow, waiting for Eren to elaborate. The assistant didn’t take too long to continue, running a hand through his messy ponytail with self disdain expressed on his face.

“I just...I feel bad for forcing you to participate in that exercise for so long. You didn’t even have to and then it took me a while to solve it on my own..”

Dropping his head, Eren stared bitterly at his own pile of papers before muttering.

“I feel like I’m not efficient or fast enough at this job sometimes, and the exercise really made me feel inadequate.”

Levi was slightly surprised at his assistant’s confession, watching him stare dejectedly at his papers like a wounded puppy. The need to comfort the other was instant, but the he wasn’t always the best with being reassuring. In fact, Levi was downright horrible with it. Countless times of awkward back-patting and potty humor when dealing with his own friends proved this point especially so. However, it didn’t mean Levi wasn’t going to try.

Opening his mouth, silver eyes flickered in confliction before deciding what was appropriate to say. However, he surprisingly didn’t have a hard time coming up with words as he knew that he genuinely thought Eren was wrong. Of course, that was the case. Otherwise, Eren wouldn’t have even been here working for him.

“Eren, look at me.”

Levi felt himself soften as soon as his assistant pulled his face up from his hands, those beautiful ocean eyes pooled with self-doubt and tiredness. For whatever reason, Eren’s emotions rubbed off on him, and he felt an urgency to correct his assistant. Levi sharply exhaled in frustration before looking at the other and speaking in a bright, genuine tone.

“Look. I’m not going to lie and say you were perfect since day one because you weren’t. But there was a reason I kept you as my assistant and didn’t fire you, unlike people before you. It’s because you are a fast learner and you're damn good at what you do. You may think you lack skills or are a bad assistant, but the fact that you can keep up with me at my pace shows you are quite the opposite.”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a moment to think before continuing.

“..contrary to what anybody might say, I am well aware that I am a boss who demands a lot and has high expectations compared to any other. You’re my assistant because you are a quick learner and are determined, and you persevere. Where others would have given up long ago, you have pushed yourself time and time again to surpass your own limits, and that’s a quality of yours that I admire.”

Levi then laughed dryly before pointing a look at the other.

“Eren, you are my assistant because you are worthy of this position. I mean, look at me as a person. Do you really think I’d keep someone under me if I thought they weren’t pulling their own weight on this team?”

Eren fidgeted before mumbling.

“No..not at all, sir.”

“Exactly. Get that constipated look off your face now, it’s shitty.”

Eren breathed out a small laugh before straightening his posture. No longer slumping over, the assistant glanced at Levi and slowly spoke up, a light pink dusting his cheeks.

“I shouldn’t have dumped my self-loathing on you like that..but I really didn’t realize you thought of me in a good light, let alone admire me in any way..”

Eren was in higher spirits now to Levi’s relief.

“Thank you, Levi.”

Levi wasn’t sure why but hearing the other say his name instead of a formality for once made him feel warm. He almost wished the other would address him casually more often. Eren glanced at the time, making Levi do so as well. It was lunch already. Standing up, he stretched himself out. Before turning to leave, Eren looked at Levi before smiling warmly at his boss.

“If it makes you feel any better yourself, I think you’re a great boss, sir. I know I can complain about you working me to death, but I have always admired how you can work twice as hard and be so successful. It’s definitely one of the reasons I’m glad to keep being your assistant.”

Levi responded to the endearment, happy with the compliment.

“Thank you, Eren.”

Before the other could disappear, Levi spoke up again, questioning his assistant.

“One of the reasons? What are the other reasons, then?”

Waiting for Eren to respond, Levi watched as his assistant’s face flushed as he pulled at his hair.

“Oh..ah..it’s nothing! Actually, my friend Armin is waiting for me, so I have to go!”

Quickly grabbing his bag, Eren rushed out the door before Levi could interrogate him any further, leaving the boss surprised and curious at Eren’s sudden nervousness.


	7. Making Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, here is chapter 7. I feel like this chapter is on the shorter side but don't worry. I've been working on the next couple chapters in advance and they are a lot longer. :)
> 
> My real life tasks will be starting up again however so I hope I can still keep up this pace but I hate an incomplete story as much as the next person. I will definitely finish this story for sure, no matter how long it takes.

**Chapter 7**

_Eren’s POV_

_Success!_

Eren hummed with joy as he stapled the last of the client’s forms for the current project. It was finally the end of the week, and Fridays meant a whole weekend to relax afterwards.

But better yet, it meant drinks at Utgard with both his and Armin’s department. The long-awaited night of drunken jibes at each other and endless fits of laughter amongst all their coworkers. The assistant was in a chipper mood as he worked away, a few feet from Levi who noticed but decided to not comment on it. After all, it wasn’t hard to guess Eren’s happiness had to do with leaving work for the week.

“Levi, I’m done with this client. I’ll go turn it in now!”

Standing up, Eren called over to Levi and turned to leave only to be stopped. Levi who was busy going over many lines of numbers paused briefly. Gunmetal eyes flicked up from the paper before he stood up and grabbed one of the many boxes cast to the side of his desk.

“Wait. I need to hand this work to Hanji as well. I’ll come. I need to ask her about something.”

“Oh..okay!”

Ocean eyes pooled with optimism as they made eye contact with silver piercing ones. Levi walked up to his waiting assistant. Proceeding to move, Eren decided to walk side to side with his boss instead of trailing behind. If Levi had taken notice, he didn’t seem to find a problem with the minor change. A comfortable silence fell over the two before Eren decided to break it with conversation instead.

“How was your day, sir?”

“You were with me the whole day, Jaeger.”

“Oh..right..”

Eren replied sheepishly, a flush of embarrassment dusting his cheeks at Levi’s calm response. Well, it was true that he should have probably come up with a better question. Feeling a bit crestfallen at the abrupt end to their talk, the assistant was caught off guard when his boss began to speak up first this time instead.

“How was your day..?”

The younger man blinked in surprise. Did...Levi sound almost nervous?

Upon close inspection, a slight rosy flush could be seen on his boss’ ears. Pleasantly surprised, the sight sent a swelling warmth to Eren’s heart from the endearing realization. _Holy shit, his boss was feeling antsy over merely trying to start a conversation._ The thought of a hesitant and nervous Levi Ackerman, acting like an awkward teenager rather than an adult brought a small smile to Eren’s lips.

Levi’s assistant didn’t miss a beat in replying, speaking up in a warm and chipper voice.

“My day was tiring, but it was good! Although Jean kept on messing up with the scanner, which is why it took me forever to copy those papers. You’d think he’d know what he was doing with how confident he is all the time.”

“Are you talking about horse face?”

Blood running cold at the remark, a petrified Eren almost stopped in his steps before nervously stuttering.

“H-how did you know I called him that..?”

“Well, if overhearing you say ‘neigh neigh, sea biscuit’ to him this Wednesday was anything to go by. I naturally assumed that all other horse related commentary I’ve overheard from you throughout these past months of your employment to me was also directed at your friend.”

“Oh..haha..well, excuse my behavior...I swear I won’t do it again!”

 _Really?_ Levi rolled his eyes before turning to face a very nervous Eren with a look of disbelief. Was it that hard for his assistant to relax around him for once? It irked Levi for whatever reason to always find the loud brat snap shut and ooze panic at the sight of him every time.

“Jaeger, you’re saying this to the most potty-mouthed person in this company. Wipe that constipated look off your face. You look like you’re on the verge of shitting yourself. I couldn’t care less if you started feeding your friend hay as long as it doesn’t affect our work.”

Processing the mental image Levi described, a small laugh escaped Eren’s lips.

“I’ll definitely be keeping that in mind. Make sure to snap a picture if I ever do.” 

Feeling less on edge, the corner of Eren’s mouth twitched upwards as they rounded the corner and arrived at Hanji’s office. The sight of a relaxed Eren was a lot easier on Levi’s eyes.

Suddenly, a blur of brown and white flashed to the left of Eren as the assistant instinctively stepped to the side with wide eyes.

“MY PRECIOUS KITTEN, YOU FINALLY VISITED ME!”

“Tch, get the fuck off me, shitty eyes!”

Hanji’s arms had Levi in a headlock. He growled and elbowed her, producing a yelp from the taller female before she let go, wholly unbothered and grinning from ear to ear. Seeing his boss in a nonwork-like environment caused the assistant to stifle a laugh. However, he wasn’t lucky enough for his boss to not hear the poorly covered snicker. Raising an eyebrow at Eren, Levi spoke up coldly.

“Something funny, Jaeger?”

For once, Eren began to feel more comfortable with his usually intimidating superior. After all, it was what Levi was trying to get him to be. More relaxed, right? Looking to the side as he raised his fist to cover his mouth, Eren coughed to hide a smile before glancing off to the side.

“..maybe?”

Hanji’s lips formed a surprised ‘O’ as her eyes widened in surprise. On the other hand, Levi seemed begrudgingly amused at Eren’s response. He sucked in his breath, piercing silver eyes staring a hole through Eren under thinned, long eyelashes.

“Oh? Since when did you get cheeky, brat?”

Raising an eyebrow, he scoffed at his assistant before silver eyes flicked back to Hanji. Slamming the boxes he was carrying down on the table, Levi motioned at them before turning to leave.

“Here are the materials you needed to collect last year’s data. I’m leaving now-“

“Wait wait wait-! You can’t be leaving so soon!”

Just as Levi was about to ignore Hanji and exit, another figure came into the doorway.

“Hi, Mrs. Zoe! I brought the- oh!”

Cheerfully exclaiming as he scurried into the room, Armin nearly bumped into Levi. Still, the older man’s reflexes were fast. He took a step back in time only to accidentally step on Eren’s toes as the assistant remained right behind him.

“Ack...sorry, Mr. Ackerman...I didn’t realize you were here..!”

Squawking nervously, Armin stared at Levi with wide eyes. Holding a hand up, Eren's boss spoke up coolly.

“It’s alright, Armin. I’m sorry to Eren as well, I may have accidentally scuffed your shoes.”

Expecting a response, the two turned to him and waited. However, Eren was only half paying attention. He was still savoring the lingering interaction of Levi's small but firm toned pressing up against him. Even if it was for a mere second, the assistant wasn’t used to any physical contact whatsoever with the object of his affections. The feeling of the smaller raven’s head against his chest felt nice while it lasted and was close enough for him to briefly smell his boss’ cologne.

“Oi, Eren..!”

“Huh..?”

Snapping back to reality, the assistant glanced down at his boss. Levi was now facing him with arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

“Huh..? Oh- It’s no problem, sir! I barely felt it..”

Looking away sheepishly as his boss clicked his tongue in disapproval, Eren’s eyes met Armin’s only to see a knowing smile pulling at the corner of the blond’s face. The tall male’s cheeks flushed slightly as he rolled his eyes at his friend. It’s been known between the two that he was in deep. He didn’t need Armin teasing him about the obvious.

Before Levi and Eren could attempt leaving the room once again, they were stopped as Armin, who seemed to be rooted in thought momentarily decided to speak up.

“Eren, you remember tonight, right? You better not forget your wallet like last time..”

Opening his mouth to quickly reply and prevent Levi from waiting on him any longer, Eren was promptly cut off by Hanji who’s eyes lit up in curiosity. Jumping up and down, she clasped her hands together before overwhelming Armin.

“Tonight? What’s tonight!? Is there something happening?”

By now, Eren usually caught onto the blond’s schemes whenever he initiated one. More often than not, the long haired man wasn’t sure what exactly the goal of Armin's said schemes were. As if he was expecting Hanji’s interrogation, Armin casually replied as Eren had a slightly puzzled look on his face. 

“Oh, it’s just this get together our two departments have every now and then! It’s usually between Eren’s and mine’s, but we never mind having new people join..are you free tonight, Mrs. Zoe?”

Brown eyes dilated in excitement. Hanji grinned before nodding and smacking Armin on the back roughly, earning a small ‘oof’ from the employee as he sheepishly rubbed his back.

“I definitely want to go-!”

“ _Oi_ , four eyes. Did you forget?”

Snapping at Hanji, Levi growled before pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Jesus, you’re like a kid sometimes..I hope you haven’t forgotten our plans with Erwin and Petra tonight.”

“Oh..”

Slumping in disappointment, Hanji frowned before scratching at her head. However, the mention of Petra sent a pang of jealousy through Eren as he bit the inside of his cheek and glanced awkwardly to the side. Of course, they hung out outside of work..even Petra. It shouldn’t be surprising just because he heard it right from Levi. He should have known it was likely real this whole time. Glancing at Eren, the blond shrugged before making eye contact with Levi and refusing to shy away from it for once. Putting on his most charismatic smile, he posed his next question in an honest manner.

“Well, our welcome to any new people is inclusive to anybody at Survey Corps. I’m sure Erwin would be ecstatic actually to come to a follow-up event like this after the Team Building Day we’ve had earlier this week.”

Eyes slightly widened at Armin’s remark. The assistant put the pieces together and stared at Armin with a panicked, questioning look. Yes, he wanted to get closer to Levi or find a way to get answers, but he didn’t want his boss to see him wasted at a bar! Ignoring his friend’s frenzied state, the blond simply continued to smile at Levi. Armin was internally nervous and unsure how much longer he could maintain eye contact with Levi.

“Ooh, that’s true! I’m sure Erwin and Petra wouldn’t mind at all!!”

Turning to Levi, Hanji began crying out in excitement as she grabbed one of his arms and started tugging.

“Please, Levi..! I’ve always wanted to be able to talk about my latest experiments and theories with fresh meat!”

Eren’s boss rolled his eyes before pulling his arm out of his friend’s grip and sighing. With an indifferent expression, Levi waved the two off before speaking up hesitantly.

“I don’t mind since it would be work putting up with you people when drunk no matter where..but since Armin is going to let Erwin know, I’ll tell Petra. I was going to see her anyways..”

Feeling a bit bitter at the last part of Levi’s remark, Eren hastily brushed the feeling away before glancing at Armin who seemed all too smug about the scenario. Eren could only huff before casting one last look of farewell at his friend before leaving the room with Levi. He did feel a sense of giddiness at the idea of interacting with Levi outside of work, but Eren also didn’t know how he felt about the scenario being one where Levi’s potential fianceé was going to be there as well.

Oh well..it wasn’t like he knew whether that was the case for sure...

Walking down the hall, Levi spoke up as they were returning to their office.

“I assume you know when and where this event is?”

“Oh..! Yeah, I can just email it to you..”

“Tch, don’t be ridiculous. I may be older but I'm not an elderly man who uses emailing as my main source of communication. I still use my phone. Text it to me.”

As Levi was pulling out his phone, Eren’s face lit up in surprise. Was he..exchanging phone numbers with Levi?? Biting his lower lip in excitement, Eren quickly looked down and frantically shoved his hand into his pocket, scrounging for his own device. Levi noticed his assistant’s eagerness and scoffed, amusement playing in his next words. He was aware Eren looked up to him in some way. It was hard to not notice when constantly met with eagerness and bright sparkling eyes stuck on every syllable coming out of your mouth.

“Relax, brat. It’s just a number. But I’ll block you if you start sending me idiotic things like chain texts or spam messages.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t do that..!”

Exclaiming sheepishly, Eren began typing in Levi’s digits as his boss read them out to the other. Sending a text to test it out, a small vibration emitted from Levi’s device as he turned on his phone to read the text.

“..really? What’s this?”

Raising an eyebrow at the image on his screen, Levi looked up at Eren, who smiled nervously, pulling at a stray hair from his messy bun.

“Sorry, I just pasted whatever I copied last as a test message...I think it’s a link to one of the songs I listen to, but you can just ignore it..”

Eren began squirming under his superior’s unreadable stare before Levi finally scoffed and turned away, continuing to walk back to his office.

“You should be more careful. Imagine if you accidentally sent your boss some porn link instead.”

“W-what..!? That wouldn’t happen..!”

Stuttering, Eren grimaced with a flushed face before hurrying after an amused Levi.


	8. The Way You Look At Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back with Chapter 8.  
> I'd like to say thank you for the 1000+ hits on my story and the 90 kudos. It means a lot to me that people are enjoying the series so far and fellow Ereri/Riren shippers are still active. 
> 
> The comments you guys have been sending in have helped motivate me a lot honestly. I'm currently traveling right now and the timezone is a bit more ahead of time than my usual one so it's already Saturday for me. I decided to spare you guys of waiting a few more hours and upload this chapter already! I've been currently rushing to write as much as I can right now since the workload for my classes is still fairly light. Hopefully I can finish a huge amount before my studies increase. That way, I can finish this story faster + focus on the endgame better so it can be completed smoothly.

**Chapter 8**

_Eren’s POV_

“You did what!?”

A shocked Jean exclaimed aloud to the rest of the group as Armin winced at the sudden shout. It was half past nine in the evening and a small group of coworkers had already gathered outside of the bar. Eren, Jean, Armin, Ymir and Christa were present as they waited for the other half of their group to arrive in addition to a few of their superiors now.

“Relax, Jean..it’s just one night. Yes, they’re our bosses but they understand that it’s no longer work hours. I’m sure they don’t expect us to be strictly professional at a bar!”

“Do you realize how easy it would be to get fired under Levi!? You may have Captain America as your boss but Eren and I have fucking mini Rorschach here as our superior! Fuck, imagine if I accidentally spill something on him..”

Groaning as he ran his hands over his face, Jean shivered in fear at the thought of the said scenario and submerged himself deeper into self despair. Eren stood across from him, scoffing at the display.

“Relax, Jeanbo. Your wailing is going to scare away the others when they arrive. They might think it’s a banshee instead of a horse.”

Sneering at the other, Eren rolled his eyes as Jean shot him a dirty look. Hair let down but styled neatly for once, he was dressed casually but nicely in a black button up and tight skinny jeans. Armin stood next to Eren in a loose sweater and light blue cuffed jeans, slightly worn out from Eren’s antics as usual. As soon as work ended, Eren dragged the blond back to his apartment and forced the other to help decide on the best outfit. The option ended up being casual as to not seem too “try-hard” or make the assistant’s intentions too apparent even though it was far from likely the target of Eren’s pining would realize.

“Alright, let’s calm down guys..I’m sure it’ll be fun still..Erwin is a really nice man..!”

Speaking up in a frantic tone, Christa exclaimed optimistically with big blue eyes. A big caramel toned hand ran its fingers through her golden strands as its owner spoke up.

“Christa is right as always. Although, I wouldn’t mind keeping silent to see you mentally break down for nothing.”

Speaking in a carefree voice, Ymir snickered as she pulled her girlfriend in closer to her, causing the blonde to blush. Jean rolled his eyes at the display and stuck his tongue out, feigning a gagging noise.

“I don’t need you two love birds to shove your romance in my face but it’ll be distracting enough. I still don’t get why you decided to invite our superiors though.”

Turning to Armin with a confused expression, he sighed before pointing at Eren.

“You could have at least invited Eren’s smoking hot sister if you were going to include new people.”

“Hey, jackass, that’s my sister you’re fucking talking about. Not that you’d have a chance with her anyways.”

Growling in response to Jean’s statement, Eren scoffed as the other began to sputter at his last statement. Suddenly, a few other coworkers arrived. 

Marco, Sasha and Connie walked up with big smiles on their faces as everybody greeted each other all over again.

“Marcoo, save me man! Eren is being a dickhead..!”

Wailing as he dramatically yanked the freckled man into a headlock, Jean pointed accusingly at Eren as the assistant scoffed.

“Only cause you want to bone my sister! Don’t go slandering my name in front of Marco!”

Scowling as he crossed his arms, Eren glanced at Marco who was caught in Jean’s grip with a very red face.

“Don’t worry, Eren..! And Jean, you can loosen your grip..”

Laughing nervously, Marco rubbed the back of his neck and straightened his back as soon as Jean let him go. The freedom was short lived though as Jean soon unconsciously rested his elbow on the other’s shoulders and proceeded to talk to Connie and Sasha. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Eren noticed the small smile on Marco’s face as a result of Jean...but why did it seem almost sad? A trace of confusement and a feeling of recognition at Marco’s expression wormed its way into Eren’s head but he didn’t understand why.

“Did you notice..?”

Hearing Armin suddenly whisper in his ear, Eren whipped his head to face Armin with a puzzled look.

“Notice what?”

“Marco has it bad for Jean.”

“Wha-!?”

Exclaiming in shock, Eren’s mouth was quickly clamped over by Armin’s hand before the blond cast him a scolding look, quietly advising him to be more conspicuous.

“What are you guys whispering about over there, hah?”

Connie turned to face Eren and Armin and the rest of the group glanced over. Not wanting Marco, or anybody else for that matter, hearing his statement, Armin laughed lightly and pulled his hand away from Eren’s face. Exclaiming in a hyper voice, Sasha stared at the two with wide eyes, ready to pat them down for any extra snacks.

“Are you guys possibly whispering about food? Is it food?? Are you sneaking in snacks too!?”

“Haha sorry Sasha, you’re out of luck this time.”

Armin laughed nervously as he held his hands up. Drooping her head in disappointment, the brown haired girl wailed in dismay as Armin’s phone went off and he checked his text. Eager to change the subject with the new information he received, Armin looked back up and relayed his text message.

“..Hey guys! Erwin said they’re coming later so we don’t need to bother waiting for them. They’ll come in when they arrive!”

“Damn, that’s fine with me. I could kill for a couple beers now.”

Scratching the back of her head, Ymir began walking into the bar with her girlfriend as everybody else trailed after. Armin began following the group as well, only to be pulled back by Eren.

“Wait- Ar, where did you get that idea from..? About Marco?”

Muttering in a low voice, Eren was surprised but not disbelieving. Armin was always spot on about things and although his reveals were sometimes shocking, they turned out to be correct for the most part. The blond seemed to hesitate with his answer but the intense determination in Eren’s eyes showed Armin he was not going to be let off the hook without answering anytime soon. Looking away nervously, he slowly glanced back up at Eren before sighing softly.

“Is it really that important for you to know?”

“I mean..yeah I can’t help but want to know how you know..You’re smart, don’t get me wrong. But usually you’re book smart and not...romance smart. No offense, Ar..”

Feeling dread, Armin sighed before glancing back at his friend with a look of sympathy. It was clear for the both of them that Armin was going to inevitably tell Eren, regardless if he really wanted to or not.

Slowly speaking up, the blond looked sadly at Eren’s face but not directly into his eyes as he muttered.

“I just happened to figure it out one day. I noticed it the whole time..but I didn’t know what the expression on Marco’s face meant. I only saw it whenever Jean looked away from him or wasn’t paying attention. It looked like Marco was happy..but not really. Like he was pretending to be almost and the facade would crack a bit when he thought nobody was looking.”

As Armin explained, a feeling of sadness for Marco swelled up within Eren. A part of him even felt bad for not noticing himself despite their different departments. Staying silent for once, Eren quietly waited for Armin to continue.

“I just thought maybe he was having some personal issues at home or something. Maybe things weren’t going well with his partner. Or maybe he was going through a financial struggle..! I didn’t have the answer..until a few months ago I realized.”

Exhaling slowly, Armin looked up and made eye contact with Eren as his eyes were full of pain for Marco as he spoke in a whisper.

“Because..the way Marco looks at Jean...it’s the same way you look at Levi. Like you’re hurting but it’s worth it.”

Staring at Armin in shock, Eren was quick to impulsively defend himself. He dryly laughed, hiding the pang of hurt he received from Armin’s unintentional callout.

“Armin..I thought I told you. It’s just a stupid crush..it’s..it’s not like that.”

Armin stared back at Eren with wide eyes before the look of unsureness from him turned to one of pity. _Why was Armin looking at him like that!?_ Clenching his jaw, Eren became slightly irritated at the other’s disbelief and continued.

“What are you even talking about..you’re honestly possibly just mistaking it.”

Forcing out a laugh, Eren scoffed at Armin who remained quiet.

“Marco at Jean?? I mean, I know he’s a nice guy, even to horse face, but come on, you might be wrong for once. I mean, how unlucky would that even be? Plus, to base it off something so stupid-”

“EREN!”

Armin yelled out, interrupting Eren as he breathed heavily in distress. Eren stared back at him with wide eyes, startled by his friend’s uncharacteristic snapping.

“Just..stop and drop the act. I don’t know why you need to pretend to me at least..”

Croaking out in a pained voice, the blond looked at Eren with a pleading look.

“..I know that we joke about your bad experiences with the romantic side of your life and how you chalk it up to things like ‘father issues’ or ‘second choice issues’. But I think we both know by now that it’s not just a joke. As much as you laugh or scoff about it in front of me, I _know_ you’re affected by it and that it actually hurts.”

Taking another deep breath, Armin spoke up again softly. Eren could only stare back at him dumbly, not knowing how to respond. The expression on Armin’s face was full of sympathy as his voice softened to a reassuring but confident tone.

“..I know I’m right about Marco. But I don’t think it’s really all that bad how I noticed..”

Smiling sadly, Armin looked up at his best friend.

“You know, it’s okay to have romantic feelings that aren’t solely physical, Eren..”

Slowly uncurling his fingers around Armin’s wrist, Eren felt more self-conscious than ever. He didn’t know where to look and eventually decided to direct his eyes down at the pavement. Eren didn’t realize before that he was so obvious to the point that two people have noticed now. Nifa did call him out on it; but to him it seemed like it was only noticeable for her because she had a bad past experience with it.

Regardless, even if it showed only when Levi wasn’t looking, Eren still felt exposed knowing it had been seen on his face at all. Whenever Armin and him talked about it, Eren would always brush it off with a wry joke, addressing it as nothing more than a stupid crush or teenage hormones. But deep down, they both knew Armin was smart enough to know Eren’s feelings were possibly slowly becoming more serious than that.

“..Do you need some time to yourself?”

Murmuring in a soothing voice, Armin placed a hand on Eren’s shoulder as the taller man chewed on the inside of his cheek. He didn’t want to make a scene in such a public area. Especially when all his friends were just inside. Something Eren did more than he cared to admit in his highschool days.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine, just give me a minute.”

Smiling back at Armin, Eren tried his best to reassure the other he was fine. Blue orbs flicked over Eren for a second before Armin sighed and cast the other a small smile.

“Okay..I’ll be inside if you need anything, okay Eren? I’ll just tell the others you’re on the phone or something.”

Nodding slowly, Eren kept his eyes on the ground as Armin lingered, fidgeting for a bit before eventually giving his best friend some space.

Burying his face in the palms of his hands, Eren groaned before letting his body fall and slam against the brick wall. At a quick glance, he was just your average adult who managed to get by with a nine to five job. But even Eren felt shitty sometimes about his predicament. What nineteen year old guy crushed hard on his older boss who is also a man? Eren Jaeger, that’s who. On top of that, it was possible that Levi was engaged too, not to mention straight. What was Eren even doing with his life? Even though work took up all his time, maybe he should start giving up and trying to go for somebody that would actually possibly look his way..

Remembering Nifa’s words added more into the assistant’s despair. He began tearing up as the remembrance triggered a domino effect of memories. Flashbacks of all the previous guys he used to have a thing for came crashing into his head. It would always start with surprise at Eren’s feelings but inevitably turned into disgust and hatred. If it didn't resort to that then the assistant would be toyed around with for a bit before realizing he didn't matter to his partners, getting discarded like an old rag doll.

Sometimes Eren wished he wasn’t gay.

“Oi, where’s the rest of your group, brat?”

A stern, low voice penetrated through Eren’s cloud of thoughts and he snapped his head up at the cruel but warm addressment. Watery ocean eyes met shocked winter ones. The initial surprise from Levi seeing his assistant’s distressed state went away as quickly as it came. The young man wasn’t crying but it was obvious he was on the brink of doing so until his boss happened to interrupt him. Levi noticed. If Eren’s eyesight wasn’t slightly blurred, he might have really believed he had seen a look of worry in Levi’s eyes.

Eren took in the appealing sight of his boss out of work attire. Levi was dressed in sinfully tight jeans and a black denim jacket that replaced his usual older style with a more youthful appearance instead. Eren could stare back forever into that cold but heated look, a fuzzy feeling of want tickling his gut as he swallowed thickly. 

Raising an eyebrow as Eren stared back without a response still, Levi slowly pulled out a cigarette pack before speaking up again with a sigh. It was just Eren being as weird as usual to him. Assuming his assistant was not going to reply to him anytime soon, Levi spoke up again, the slightest hint of softness to the edge of his tone.

“Did you get ditched?”

The older man questioned the other as he shook the packet, pulling out a cigarette with two fingers and tucking it snugly between them.

Snapping back into the present, Eren’s eyes unconsciously trailed down to Levi’s lips. Catching himself before he was about to unconsciously lick his lips out of desire, Eren teared his eyes away from his boss’ mouth and finally responded.

“No, they’re inside.”

Arching a brow at his assistant, Levi scoffed before pulling the unlit cigarette from his lips to respond.

“What are you doing out here then?”

 _'Mourning about how I can’t help my teenage hormones going crazy over you. Not to mention the fact that I’m currently getting caught up in the thought of how soft your lips would feel'_ Eren thought.

“..taking a call.”

Dumbly replying with what Armin said to him earlier, Eren realized how idiotic he looked for that excuse and flushed. Refusing to meet eye contact with the other as an awkward pause washed over them, he focused on looking anywhere other than Levi. A silent pause came after his answer before his boss let out a dry laugh.

“I didn’t know you can call without a phone.”

Realizing he wasn’t even holding his mobile device to add to his blatant lie, Eren flushed as Levi called him out on his bullshit. Eren glanced back at the individual only to see slender fingers squeeze Levi’s right shoulder.

“Levi? Why aren’t you going in?”

Squeezing the raven’s shoulder, sunset strands of hair brushed Levi’s neck as Petra popped out from behind him and noticed Eren. Big round honey eyes stared up at Eren as the assistant's jaw tightened. A pang of jealousy flashed through his head at how casually Petra was able to touch Levi.

She was tiny, slender and definitely beautiful. Even Eren had to admit the two looked perfect together and the way Petra’s hand lingered on Levi just seemed to fit. Eren quickly looked away again, right at the same spot of cement he zoned in on earlier as he hastily shoved any emotional pain he was currently feeling as far into the back of his head as he could.

He supposed he wouldn’t be shocked if they were together after all. They seemed like a cute couple, unlike if it were to be him and Levi..not that anything would ever happen between them in the first place. A taller, hardheaded man like himself was probably the last thing Levi could ever possibly fall in love with. Not cute at all like Petra.

“Petra.”

A relaxed sense of familiarity filled Levi’s eyes as he said her name fondly. Eren bit the corner of his lip. He wished Levi would do the same for him instead of always being gruffly addressed as a “brat” or “kid”.

“I’m just taking a smoke break with Eren here. How about you go inside so you don’t get cold? Erwin and Hanji are already in there.”

Scrunching her nose, the petite female shook her head with a click of her tongue.

“Okay..don’t go smoking too much now, mister!”

Wagging her finger at Levi as he rolled his eyes, honey eyes shifted their stare to Eren as she cast him a sweet smile, waving at him before heading in. Hesitantly waving back, Eren couldn’t bring himself to hate Petra even if he wanted to. She seemed too sweet and doting like a mother hen. A feeling he hadn’t felt in a while since his mom passed.

“What- when did Hanji and Erwin get here?”

Surprised, Eren asked his question aloud before he realized. Levi coolly replied, looking straight ahead and not sparing his assistant a glance with his blunt response.

“They were in front of me but you probably didn’t notice them while being busy moping.”

Once again, it was just Levi and Eren as the assistant cast his eyes back down at the ground in slight embarrassment. It was obvious that Eren wasn’t on the call like he claimed but it felt more awkward having it so blatantly called out by his boss. He hoped Levi didn’t take his white lie into account when looking at him as an assistant. 

Levi pushed the cigarette back between his lips and dug around in his pocket before clicking in disapproval when his hands came up empty.

“Shit...kid, you got a light?”

Picking his head back up, Eren paused for a second before digging in his pockets and pulling a small metal case out. Levi nodded briefly in approval before leaning in and slightly bending over for the light. A heat pooled at the bottom of Eren’s stomach at the sudden closeness but he remained silent. He flipped the silver cap off and flicked the lighter on, fingers slightly trembling out of nervousness from the close proximity. Levi seemed to notice the shaking and tsked before suddenly grabbing Eren’s hand that held the lighter in order to stabilize it. The younger man’s mind went numb at the feeling of Levi’s cold fingers cupped around his own, his boss lighting the cigarette before pulling back. Levi took a long drag before puffing out a cloud of ashy smoke as the two stood side by side, staring out at the city life. For the second time ever, he broke the silence once again and spoke up first.

“I thought I was out of luck. Didn’t know you smoked.”

“Oh, I don’t..”

Trailing off, Eren scratched the back of his head as he felt nervous and giddy at the same time about being alone with Levi outside of work for once. The default crease between Levi’s brows only deepened however at Eren’s answer.

“Huh? Then why the hell do you have a lighter?”

 _I bought it in case you ever needed it in the future like now.._ was what Eren was not going to admit to his boss.

“Just cause..”

Turning to look over at Eren, Levi cast him a strange look before scoffing at him.

“You’re definitely fucking special, kid.”

Pouting at the childish addressment, Eren huffed before turning to face Levi with exasperation in his eyes.

“Why do you call me kid or brat? Why not just Eren?”

“Because you’re a brat. Why are you suddenly bringing it up now?”

Eren’s frown deepened before he looked ahead once again and sighed. The words came out of his mouth before he even realized it.

“You call Petra by her name and she’s younger than you..”

Levi’s eyebrows slightly raised before the raven scoffed. Taking another drag, he let the smoke escape from his slightly parted mouth, briefly thinking before responding.

“Petra is 27 and mature. You’re still a teenager and act like it too.”

Eren’s eyebrows knitted together as he scoffed.

“Hey now, I’m in my last year and am an adult! Besides, it’s not like you’re that much older.”

As the assistant said the statement aloud, both parties seemed to silently realize Eren didn’t have a clue about his boss’ age. Levi questioned his assistant.

“Eren, do you know how old I am?”

Pausing, Eren registered he didn’t know the answer for sure. He just guessed based on what others said around the office. Regardless, falling for another guy let alone the man being your very own boss was already a problem in itself. The age difference was only one of multiple things Eren had to worry about.

“I don’t know..like late 20s?”

Breathing out a hushed laugh, Eren’s boss hummed in amusement.

“I’m 34.”

A stunned Eren stood awkwardly as Levi continued smoking without a care.

“Oh..”

Slightly surprised and unsure of how else to reply, Eren glanced to the side. Armin did always joke about him having daddy issues as the cause for his interest in an older man. Now, he wasn’t so sure how seriously he should be taking it..

Straightening his posture, Eren crossed his arms, firmly looking ahead. He spoke up in a reassuring tone, ignoring the painful pang his next words were going to give himself.

“Well..don’t worry. A lot of the women at the office think you’re a hot shot and you don’t look your age either.”

Levi glanced over at Eren, feeling slightly amused by the other’s determination to comfort him over his age, not that he felt bad about it in the first place.

“Thanks, brat.”

Pressing his lips into a thin line, the older man dryly huffed in amusement.

“Only someone odd like you is able to switch our places around. I don’t think the kid who was teary eyed minutes ago is supposed to be the one who’s doing the comforting.”

So Levi did notice earlier..damn.

Huffing, an embarrassed Eren fought down the heat growing in his cheeks. He shot an exasperated look at his boss and hastily changed the subject.

“Are you ever going to stop calling me brat? I’m an adult too, you know..”

“Just think of it as a fond addressment.”

Caught off guard by the response he received, the assistant flushed slightly. He hoped Levi wouldn’t notice or at least chalk it up to Eren’s red cheeks resulting from the cold weather. It was stupid but it only took one line for Eren to not mind being called a brat as much..

“I still mean it though. That you’re childish.”

Speaking up again, the warm feeling in Eren’s heart was no longer being focused on. Scoffing at the backhanded after-comment, the assistant sputtered.

“Wha- that’s not true!”

Exclaiming hastily, Eren frowned as the shorter man let out an airy chuckle again. It was probably the most Eren had seen his boss laugh throughout their relationship. It was almost worth getting embarrassed a ton in front of a Levi..but still.

Finishing off his cigarette, the raven put it out on the wall before tossing it into the ash tray above the trash can.

“I’ll treat you to a drink. Let’s go before I freeze my fucking balls off, Eren.”

Eyes lighting up, Eren smiled to himself as Levi began trudging towards the entrance. The crude language was one that Eren was overly fond of. It was just one of the characteristics that made Levi, Levi.

Eren knew that his boss probably only stayed out for a smoke to keep him company after seeing him moping outside. He noticed Levi had his own way of caring when it came to those around him. The kind where it was nonchalant and unmentioned but didn’t go unnoticed.

He followed Levi into the bar with a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest.


	9. Truth or Dare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody!
> 
> Thank you for over a 100 kudos and the supporting comments. I just came back from the hospital but it really motivated me so much that I ended up making the chapter a lot longer because of it. 👏🏻
> 
> Seeing all your comments on the previous chapters makes me glad I'm writing this story and motivates me to finish this story as soon as possible! My classes aren't as hectic as I thought which I'm thankful for but they're still keeping me on my toes.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story so far. I am not certain but I think I may complete this story at around 25 chapters.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think of the story so far.

**Chapter 9**

_Eren’s POV_

"Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Ackerman..? I can pay for the tab tonight.."

Hastily exclaiming, Jean flashed a smile that held the same level of fear as a deer in headlights. It had been half an hour since everybody had gathered, and all the company employees were seated at a booth. Upon the superiors' arrivals, the workers were slightly on edge. The suffocating stiffness of the environment was overwhelming, but the more extroverted people like Hanji, Petra, and Marco helped ease the tension somewhat with their presence.

"I'm your boss, Jean. Let your employers cover the cost tonight. Compensation for the invitation."

_This..is so awkward._

Eren thought to himself as he sat at the booth on the right of Levi. Petra occupied Levi's other side, smiling as she listened to ramblings and sipped on her martini. Sneaking a glance to his left, Eren looked at Levi, who looked as unbothered as ever, one arm hanging over the back of the booth and the other clutching a bourbon loosely. The assistant gripped his jeans, the denim covering his thighs getting wrinkled under his fingers as he didn't know what to say.

"Hooo..! The environment right now is a total buzzkill! Why don't we play a game?"

Taking a huge swig of her beer, Hanji let out a satisfied noise at the taste before grinning at everybody at the table. Scoffing at the suggestion, Levi spoke up.

"Are we twelve? Games?"

"Oh, hush, short stack! We play games all the time! It'll be fun!"

Smacking her bottle on the table, Hanji earned a jolt from Petra and Marco. A flash of mischief glinted in her eyes before she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Truth or Dare!"

"Really? You're going to make us play such a shitty game?"

Bantering with Hanji, Levi crossed his arms before leaning back and speaking up again.

"I'm not playing."

"Hmm? Are you scared, Levi? I can't help but remember how you tapped out of the last game we played."

Speaking up smoothly, Erwin sipped on his drink as the raven glared at him. The furrow between his eyebrows deepened before he sat back up and replied sharply.

"Fine. I'll play this shitty game."

"Yay! Okay, let's start with one edge of the booth and make our way around! Let me just refresh the rules for everybody!"

"Oi, nobody better be asking my Christa any weird questions, got it?"

Slurring her words slightly, Ymir pointed at the rest of the group with narrowed eyes.

"Relax, man. Nobody's trying to take your girl. I'm too busy trying to get Eren's sister."

Speaking up half-jokingly, Jean seemed to forget he was with his superiors. Realizing what he said in front of them, the employee's eyes widened before speaking up slowly.

"..Sorry..the alcohol-"

"Shut up, Jeanbo. We're not at work so drop any formalities."

Staring at Levi in shock, Jean's mouth hung open as he heard his boss using the cheesy nickname. Eren turned with a bewildered expression, trying to hide his smile, as the rest of the coworkers gaped at the raven. Levi simply took another sip of his drink, indifferent. A brief silence swept over the table. However, regaining his composure, something shifted in Jean as he finally spoke up, significantly less tense. It seemed as if he decided to take Levi's words seriously.

"Well, fuck it..if you say so then I won't maintain them for tonight."

Levi hummed in approval before Hanji clasped her hands together, beaming and ready to go back to the game's topic. The mood of the table was slightly less intimidating now.

"Alright! So, rules!"

Clearing her throat, Hanji flashed another smile at everybody before pointing up a finger.

"I'm sure that everybody knows how Truth or Dare works but let me brief you over the alcohol edition of our truth or dare...If you choose truth and are untruthful or unwilling to answer the person's question, then you take some shots and have to switch to a dare! If you choose a dare and are unwilling to comply, then you take _two_ shots but don't have to do anything or you can just switch to truth. Pretty simple, right?"

Hanji's eyes were ablaze with excitement before she turned to Erwin with a smirk.

"You know what to do, eyebrows..!"

Sighing with a smile, Erwin had an amused expression before he waved down an employee.

"Can we get a round of shots? Keep them coming too...I doubt we'll be stopping anytime soon."

Leaning forward, Hanji grinned before speaking in an almost threatening way.

"Just you wait. You're playing with the big dogs, and we like to go _hard._ Usually, it's just Erwin, Levi, and me, but a few of the older employees like to join in now and then! You had fun last time, right, Petra?"

Everybody turned to the ginger whose face was very pale. Laughing nervously, Petra slowly pushed away her drink before speaking up.

"I suggest you all not order any more drinks for the rest of the evening.."

Armin and Marco were practically oozing with nerves as they fidgeted in their seats. What exactly did they all get themselves into when they invited their superiors..?

A part of Eren even felt a bit nervous about the game. What if somebody asked him something he didn't want to answer? He could always just lie..but he preferred not to do so flat out unless necessary. Well, he wasn't a lightweight. It would be fine! Right..?

"Since we'll begin at an edge of the booth and go around, I'll begin with Eren!"

"M-me..?"

Eren felt the blood drain from his face as Hanji directed that crazed look at me.

"Truth or dare, Eren?"

Chickening out, the assistant tugged at a strand of his tied up hair before laughing nervously.

"Truth?"

Everybody at the table was on the edge of their seats. Hanji didn't skip a beat with her question.

"Do you have any kinks?"

"..what..!?"

Flushing, Eren sputtered in shock as he stared back at Hanji with huge eyes. Glancing around the table, everybody seemed curious, Marco flushing and looking to the side as Ymir smirked back at him. Petra seemed to feign being occupied with her drink as Erwin looked off into the distance. It looked like everybody really was going to take this game seriously..no backing out it seems...

"Uhh…"

Eren glanced at Levi for a split second. His boss seemed indifferent but paying attention to the conversation like the rest of the booth. Turning to the side, Eren's cheeks flushed before mumbling defensively.

"No..?"

Narrowing her eyes, Hanji lurched across the table before poking me in the chest as Eren yelped in surprise.

"I forgot to mention..if you're caught in a lie then you take _three_ shots as punishment!"

"U-uh... I'm not-"

"Oi, Armin. Is Eren lying? You're his best friend, you should know."

Jean cut the assistant off and spoke up with a cheeky grin as Eren glared at him. Glancing at Armin in exasperation, the blond withered under all the directed attention. He was already sweating bullets and cracked quickly, squeaking out a timid response.

"Um..I'm sorry, Eren..!"

Eren grumbled as his face turned red. Armin was _horrible_ with peer pressure, and Eren already was well aware of that. Shaking his head, Eren hastily grabbed a shot before throwing it back. Feeling the burning liquid slide down his throat, he quickly grabbed his second shot. The young man blinked back tears after tossing the third one back in a row as the table whooped and laughed at Eren.

"God, this is embarrassing.."

Mumbling bitterly, Eren was already feeling a bit hot from the amount he drank.

"That's hilarious that you tried to hide that..!"

Snickering, Ymir kicked back before speaking up again.

"So, what kinks do you have, Eren?"

"You'll have to wait for the next round for the answer to that."

Shooting back at Ymir with a bit of sass, he scoffed. At this point, Eren couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with Levi after the embarrassing confession.

"Cheeky."

Eren's eyes widened at Levi's remark as he took a sip of his drink. He felt slightly embarrassed, but the sensation wasn't dreadful in any way. Thankfully, the assistant was six feet tall and could hold his weight in alcohol. Mikasa, Armin, and him could never figure out why he burned it off so quickly, but if the hot-headed male wanted to get drunk, he never failed to.

"Alright! We'll go by volunteering first and then a process of elimination to make sure we get everybody! Now, who wants to do me!?"

To the younger staff's surprise, Erwin was quick to raise his hand with a charismatic smile. However, hidden intentions were veiled by the blond's charisma as he spoke up smoothly.

"Don't think I forgot about last time, Hanji."

"What's that, Erwin? Are you volunteering then?"

Grinning as her eyes gleamed, Hanji leaned forward from her seat in anticipation. Confused, Armin spoke up meekly.

"What did Hanji do last time?"

Still in an intense staredown with Hanji, Erwin replied nonchalantly.

"She made me call a pizza take out place and try to have phone sex with the operator."

Everybody's mouths dropped at the response as Marco nearly choked on the water he was sipping. Jean crossed his arms and scoffed with amusement before speaking up.

"Okay, wow..I didn't know you guys were that intense. I kind of respect it though..but how did that turn out?"

"I got free pizza so you can calculate the rest."

Winking at him, Hanji cackled as Jean flushed at the CEO's admittance. The employee sputtered as the rest of the table laughed at his red face. Everybody at the table seemed to have a continually shifting impression of their superiors that night and the reserved composure was slowly but surely breaking down. Erwin then turned to Hanji. 

"Truth or Dare, Hanji?"

"Come on, you know me well enough, boss!"

A look of mischief was burning in Hanji's eyes as she was on the edge of her seat. Erwin didn't hesitate or pause to think before stating his dare.

"Go up to the bartender and order a drink. But you have to bark like a dog every time you open your mouth to speak."

Narrowing her eyes at Erwin, Hanji crossed her arms. The rest of the table made various sounds as some laughed while others like Marco and Christa stared at Hanji with wide eyes. Abruptly standing up, she casually walked over to the bar without a word as everybody's eyes followed her retreating figure. Even Levi, who stated his disinterest in the game, was glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. A handsome, young-looking man behind the bar seemed to notice Hanji and walked up to her with a smile.

"What can I get you today, miss?"

Opening her mouth, the fierce look in Hanji's eyes seemed to cause the employee's smile to waver a bit as the rest of the group were intensely watching.

"Just one gin and tonic..woof!"

Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, the bartender smiled at Hanji.

"I'm sorry..a gin and tonic..what?"

"No! Nothing else, just a gin and tonic woof!"

Barking realistically at the employee, Hanji's overcommitment to her role had the man frozen, staring back at her with a bewildered look in his eyes. By now, half of the table was laughing, some trying their best to hide it but failing. Christa tried to mask her laugh with a cough at first but her cover-up was quickly destroyed as Hanji's barking caused the other customers on her left and right to glance over in confusion. Finally coming back with her drink, the bartender glanced over in Hanji's direction warily.

"I hate you for that.."

Mumbling with a scoff as she sat down, Hanji gulped down her drink before smacking the glass down with a smack of her lips and grinning.

"Alright, once in a lifetime chance! Who dares to challenge our CEO??"

Whooping with a laugh, the rest of the table looked at each other with uncertain yet excited looks. Suddenly, a hand was raised and the rest of the table gaped in surprise.

"Truth or dare, Mr. Smith?"

Speaking up with a nervous laugh, Armin had a glimmer of challenge in his eyes. Raising an eyebrow as he smiled, Erwin nodded.

"I'll take the truth."

If it were anybody else at the table asking, the group might have not been as excited for the truth option in comparison to dare. However, this was Armin and the blond was a chaotic genius. Working with him as his boss, even Erwin knew this fact himself.

Tapping his lips, Armin glanced over at Eren for a split second before asking nonchalantly.

"If you had to choose someone to date in this group, who would you pick?"

A brief pause came over Erwin as he kept his eyes locked with Armin's. Eren glanced over to his left to see that it wasn't just Erwin. Petra seemed slightly nervous and even Levi looked a bit tense. It seemed that nobody else noticed this really besides Eren and perhaps Armin as the blond was too observant for his own good. Eren was proud to say his sharp analysis and detection of Levi's mood resulted from close observation of his boss all these months. Unfortunately, noticing these mannerisms also left him a bit curious and confused as to why the question seemed to bother them. The CEO didn't spare too long to answer though before clearing his throat and casually responding.

"I would have to say Petra-"

"Oi..Erwin."

Snapping at the blond, Levi growled at Erwin. The raven had glanced over with a look of warning in his eyes. Levi's grip on the empty glass in his hand was tightening. Meanwhile, Petra was busy occupying herself by looking down in her lap with a light pink dusting her cheeks. The interaction was plain as daylight to the rest of the table as they childishly made "oohs" at the scene, slightly drunk at this point. As Ymir softly whistled, Armin tilted his head as his face was slightly twisted in deep thought. Finally, Eren's best friend spoke up.

"Why do you choose Petra?"

As Erwin opened his mouth, Levi shot him another look of malice before speaking up as he glared.

"That will be the end of this topic. You're treading on dangerous waters, Erwin."

Levi glanced at Petra before they shared a brief nod and she smiled softly at him, silently reassuring him as she placed a hand on his. Watching the interaction made a lump form in Eren's throat before he slowly turned away. Maybe it wasn't so bad if he got trashed tonight. The rest of the table seemed abuzz with bewilderment and questions but one glance over from Levi shut them up soon enough.

"Alright..so I guess it's my turn then, Hanji?"

"You betcha, angel!"

Feeling the strong need to distract himself from Levi and Petra on his left, Eren jerked his hand up and pointed at Jean with a grin.

"Why don't you go horse face? After all, you seemed the most intrigued by this in the beginning."

"Can it, suicidal bastard! You just want it to get to my turn faster so you can see my ass suffer."

As Levi scoffed at the display, Eren merely grinned back as Jean rolled his eyes and turned to Armin anyways.

"Alright, man. Truth or Dare?"

"I think I'll choose truth actua-"

"Wait."

Before Armin could finish replying, a third voice spoke up and interrupted them. Everybody turned in slight surprise to see it was Levi. Setting his glass down and pulling his hand away from Petra's to cross his arm, he tilted his head with an arched eyebrow.

"What's up with Eren's nickname? Where did suicidal bastard come from?"

Opening his mouth to explain, Jean realized what the answer would entail before his face paled. Nothing came out as Eren nervously gripped his knees, staying as quiet as possible to let Jean take the hit.

"Well?"

"Um..wait. I thought I was supposed to be the one challenging Armin right now.."

Jean spoke in a panicked manner but was quickly shut up with one glare from his boss. Narrowing his eyes, Levi shifted his glance over to Armin who shrunk back.

"I'll go."

Giggling in excitement, Hanji leaned back with a satisfied expression.

"So now you're deciding to play, Levi?"

'I just want to know what the fuck the answer is that's got my team so nervous."

Stating smoothly, Levi then focused on Armin.

"This seems like something you know too, Arlert. I'll ask you instead. After all, you did choose the truth."

Crossing his arms, Levi leaned back and waited as the blond swallowed nervously. Glancing to the side, Armin spoke up slowly.

"Well..it may or may not be because..Eren volunteered to work under you as an assistant..and complains about how you kill him off with work every other day.."

A single eyebrow arched as Levi's frown deepened, causing Armin to quickly continue his sentence.

"-but he's still earnest to work..! Not that that's a bad thing!"

Squeaking out as Armin shot an apologetic look at his friend, Eren groaned before smacking a hand to his forehead. He was a bit annoyed, but in the end, Eren knew Armin was really bad with alcohol. If the blond took three shots, his best friend would be maxed out in a blink. Not to mention, Armin was the designated driver for their small group.

Slowly turning to his assistant, Levi's cold stare was staring right into Eren's soul as he laughed nervously.

'It's just a joke, Levi-"

"I wasn't going to bother with this shitty game so I didn't mention it earlier but Eren.."

Levi began leaning forward with the same look of a predator's, making Eren, a whole six-foot man, feel like a cornered tiny mouse. A knowing look gleamed in those metal gun eyes.

"Did you notice how you didn't take a dare earlier? That was also a punishment for lying with the truth."

Eren began to sweat nervously as Hanji's eyes widened and she gasped.

"How did I not notice!?"

Speaking up coolly as he scrutinized his assistant, Levi leaned back and away from Eren as his assistant let out a breath he didn't notice he was holding in. However, it seemed that Levi wasn't done with him yet.

"I'll give Eren a dare. Since this brat seems to need a bit of discipline from running his mouth. I thought Seabiscuit here would be the one flapping his mouth more when his resembles a horse, but instead we have Jaeger here.."

Trailing off, wide emerald eyes stared back at dark grey ones in fright and shock. Jean sputtered in the background at the nickname.

"So. Dare, Eren?"

Slightly regaining his composure, Eren sharply inhaled before muttering.

"I don't think I have a choice so why ask..?"

"Formalities, Jaeger. All in good old fashion."

Chuckling darkly, the raven's laugh sent a slight heat to Eren's face before he looked away in exasperation.

"Dare, it is.."

Levi didn't even have to say anything for Eren to know he was in deep shit. If the dark look in his boss' eyes was anything to go by, the fact that he was participating in the game of his own will now for revenge or spite of Eren's words was definitely not a good sign for the assistant.

It was probably wrong and even perverted of the assistant to feel heated merely from his boss' intense gaze but the focus on him currently was not one he was used to, whether the reason was good or bad.

"Take off your undergarments and give it to another player at this table to hold onto."

"Wha-!?"

Sputtering in shock, Eren's mouth hung open as he stared at Levi in disbelief. After a long moment, the assistant then started laughing nervously.

"You're joking, right..?"

"Why would I be joking?"

Levi arched a perfectly defined brow before leaning back, eyes still remaining cold but stuck on his squirming assistant. Clenching his jaw, Eren flushed as Jean then began laughing at him.

"Hah! Now who's the one suffering now?!"

Jean spoke smugly, causing Eren to shoot a glare at him before throwing his hands in the air. He couldn't even get out of this one because it was a resulting punishment. Levi really knew just the right times to utilize his sharp observation skills..

The assistant sighed before moving out of the booth.

"I guess I'll just go take them off in the bathroo-"

"No."

"Huh?"

Casting a puzzled look at his boss, Eren paused before his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Where am I going to take them off then?"

"Right here."

Answering smoothly, Levi pointed down at the seat as if he were merely stating the weather that night and not the removal of his assistant's pants in front of everybody. Eren's cheeks turned red before he sputtered.

"You can't be serious.."

"That's the intent of a dare. You're supposed to get fucked over."

A slight blush spread across Eren's cheeks as he tried his hardest to not think of Levi's wording in a different, dirtier context. He wouldn't mind giving Levi a dare in that context. Glancing around the table nervously, Eren sighed before hastily unbuttoning his pants as the rest of the table whooped. Ymir and Jean whistled, faking catcalls, making the teenager extremely embarrassed.

"WHOOO, look at you go, hot stuff!"

"Jaeger doing a striptease for us?"

It was clear the two were slightly intoxicated at this point but their joking support amused Eren. Rolling his eyes as he tried not to smile but failed, Eren scooted down the seat before shaking his finger at the two.

"As _absolutely_ smoking this piece of ass is, I'm going to have to say no peeking."

The assistant laughed as he shimmied out of his pants, glancing warily at the other people in the bar. Pulling one leg out, Eren struggled to take his boxers off but succeeded in the end. Just as he was pulling his pants back up, the assistant's face paled as he made eye contact with a random woman across the room who stared back at him with an eyebrow raised. It was pretty obvious she was questioning her view of a man across the bar from her in the middle of taking off his jeans. Eren laughed nervously but the alcohol in his system left him in a more laid back mood. Winking jokingly at her, the stranger blushed as Hanji noticed the interaction and cackled.

"Trying to get some action, Eren?!"

Grinning as she flopped back into her seat, Hanji began making catcalling noises as Sasha and Connie joined in. The teenager scoffed before buttoning his jeans and balling up his boxers, only to throw them right at Jean's face.

"I don't have time for things like that."

Letting out a yell as the boxers smacked him in the face, Jean huffed before snatching them away with a disgusted face.

"You're really going to pick _me_ to get your stinky boxers?"

"I clean myself quite well, horseface. I'm sure yours stink way more."

Sneering as he pretended to pinch his nose in disgust, Eren scoffed before shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"God, as much as I love having flexibility, I'm feeling a little _too_ free down here."

Eren then turned to his side and gave Levi a slightly amused look.

"Happy now?"

An airy breath escaped Levi's lips as he set his glass down and glanced back at his assistant out of the corner of his eye. Levi seemed to have been deep in thought just now for whatever reason.

"Happy that your dick and balls are out? Just making sure we keep the rules intact, that's all."

Eren shrugged before laughing nervously and turning back. Ah, well it wasn't like he expected much between his interactions with Levi anyways. Unnoticed by Eren, Hanji seemed to cast a look of questioning at Levi who refused to look in her direction.

"..so if Levi forced Armin into telling a truth.. does that mean someone has to go now for him?"

Questioning slowly, Jean looked around the table as everybody else glanced around nervously. None of the employees felt brave or drunk enough to take up that situation. A small laugh erupted from the table and Petra smiled.

"You guys are too funny! Levi may be scary but he won't bite! But I'll go of course if you're too worried."

Winking playfully, the ginger shifted and turned her body towards Levi who remained focused on the drink in front of him.

Momentarily, Eren wished Hanji didn't pick him at the start. Maybe then he could have challenged Levi himself. The thought didn't last however as Eren comforted himself with the fact that even if he did have the chance, he'd probably have been too nervous to do it anyways.

Placing her hands on her hips, Petra hummed in an amused tone before tilting her head.

"Truth or dare, mister?"

Frowning as he purposely dragged out the time, Levi sighed before crossing his arms.

"Dare."

"Of course, you decide to go with dare.."

Petra exclaimed in feigned exasperation before tapping her cheek, deep in thought. Everybody around the table seemed to be on the edge of their seats. After all, this was Levi Ackerman they were talking about. The man never did anything so much as a hair out of line and strictly followed his own ways of life, refusing to take shit from others. But here he was, playing a game that could go against everything he religiously followed. A side of him that was and would likely never be seen at work.

It didn't take long for Petra to come up with something.

"Hmm..I dare you to play a little game for me! Close your eyes and try to guess the identity of whoever we put in front of you. It can only be by sense of touch to the face!"

Frowning at Petra's dare, Levi scoffed before crossing his arms.

"Didn't know you'd go chicken on me with a shitty ass dare like that."

The ginger mouth turned upwards into a sly smile before she held a finger up.

"Ah- I didn't finish."

The table seemed to quickly regain the interest they momentarily lost at Petra's first statement. Arching a thin eyebrow, Levi remained silent as his possible fiancé continued.

"If you successfully identify the person, then I'll get you that multi-surface Roomba you always wanted."

The mention of the device seemed to interest the raven. The edge to his usual expression softened and he hummed in amusement. However, Petra seemed to have set up a reward only to balance out the consequences for the other's possible failure.

"But if you lose.. you have to wear a costume to the Halloween work party for once just like the rest of us!"

Scowling, Levi stared at Petra with a frown on his face.

"Really? A costume? Halloween isn't even for another two months."

"Which will make it that much more fun when I get to cash my dare in!"

Giggling as she interlaced her fingers, Petra beamed as Levi sharply exhaled from his nose and held out an open hand.

"This can't be that hard. Give me something to cover my eyes."

"I trust you but _I'll_ be the one to put it on just in case."

Wagging her finger, Petra giggled before facing Hanji.

"Hanji, do you still have that gauze you keep in your purse?"

"What are you even asking, Petra? Of course I do-I have everything I'm my bag!"

Cackling as she yanked out the material, Levi's nose wrinkled in disgust as he stared at the cloth as if it came from the dumpster rather than Hanji's bag.

"That better be fucking clean.."

Eren simply held back a smile as he silently watched with the others at the table. Something about Levi scrunching his nose was endearing and adorable to him. He took a mental picture to save in his memory.

Petra smiled and proceeded to wrap the cloth around the other's head snugly. She was confident Levi couldn't see after the man failed to react from her blowing a raspberry at him. The rest of the table laughed as Petra grinned back at them and Levi frowned in confusion. She then motioned for Eren to leave the booth so Levi could get out. Sitting back down as soon as Levi stood by himself in front of the rest of the group, the older male's brows were knitted in irritation as he crossed his arms and frowned.

Petra silently motioned for Eren to get out of the booth again and followed suit. He quietly obliged as the rest of the group seemed to come up with the same conclusion simultaneously. _Oh, so that was the plan._ It wasn't a dumb tactic at all really. For Petra to place herself in front of Levi when he might assume she'd choose somebody else. It seemed that Levi wasn't very keen on waiting long as he began hissing.

"Alright, we're supposed to be playing truth or dare, not waiting for our hair to fall out. What the fuck is taking so long? Choose already."

About to sit down as quietly as Eren could, a small hand wrapped itself around his wrist. The assistant looked up at Petra who pointed at him and nodded.

_Huh?_

Looking back at her confused, Eren glanced back at the table and realized that Petra was trying to choose him. Surprised, Eren shook his head but Petra wasn't having it. Petra tugged on his arm again as he glanced back at the table where his coworkers were shooing him away. _Really?_ Eren silently sighed before hesitantly straightening his posture and went to go stand in front of Levi. Petra then quietly motioned for him to bend down to Levi's height. She suppressed a giggle and motioned at Hanji to speak up and inform Levi to start guessing instead.

Swallowing thickly, Eren felt nervous being so close to Levi. His boss stood there, impatient but unknowing and harmless as a fly. Thick white gauze covered his eyes as his eyebrows bridged to form that crease between them that Eren always found attractive. Focusing on slowing his breath, Eren slowly leaned down, bending his knees and mimicking Petra's height. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Petra with a look of dread. She merely smiled back and winked at Hanji, giving her a thumbs up. Hanji spoke up in a chipper tone.

"Alright, Levi, we'll give you a _generous_ thirty seconds to start feeling up!"

Levi frowned before making a disgusted face and scoffing.

"You make it sound like I'm some fucking pervert."

Eren's throat tightened as he felt the other's heated breath tickle him as Levi spoke. He could smell the faint scent of cigarettes, alcohol and his boss' cologne off of him. The combination made Eren's head feel a pleasant fuzziness. Or maybe it was just the alcohol kicking in a bit.

Holding up her phone with a timer on it, Hanji laughed as she initiated the time.

"And..GO!"

Immediately, Levi didn't waste time as he lifted his hands up.

"Whoever this is, I hope you fucking wash your face.."

Levi muttered in a low voice as he scowled. Eren merely stared back with wide eyes as the rest of the table watched with grins on their faces. It couldn't be helped that everybody was curious as to whether Levi could identify his own assistant.

Breathe coming to a stop as Levi lifted his hand up, fingers roughly reached upwards in assumption, only to grasp at nothing. Slowly lowering his hand, Levi grabbed Eren's jaw and frowned. Pausing, he seemed slightly puzzled. It wasn't like many people at the table were taller than him. Only Petra and Christa, in fact. The trick seemed to cause the cogs in the grouchy man's head to shift, but he didn't waste any more time. For Levi, the seconds may have seemed to be going by too fast, but they were dragging out forever for Eren. The situation left him with a short-circuiting head and butterflies in his stomach.

Cold thin fingers brushed began pinching his nose and slowly moved outwards, pausing as they reached the corner of Eren's eyes. Realizing Levi was asking for permission, Eren simply closed them as the other's thumbs brushed over his lids, leaving a trail of searing heat wherever Levi's fingers traced over his skin. Suddenly, the other grabbed his cheeks roughly, and the assistant's eyes widened as the table snickered at the ridiculous face Levi's hands were causing Eren to make. Rolling his eyes at the group's amusement, Eren could only crouch awkwardly as he felt Levi's fingers brush against the side and skim past his hair. He felt like a dog. Except he was not a dog but a six-foot tall man getting pets from a grumpy but attractive superior who was almost a foot shorter.

Suddenly, Levi seemed to have a realization after the last touch. The corner of his lip twitched upwards before he grabbed Eren's chin and chuckled.

"Petra, did you think you could trick me?"

Crowing with an amused huff, Levi leaned in and jerked Eren's head to the side before leaning in and whispering huskily into his assistant's ear.

"I can't touch anywhere except above your neck, but your hair and height gave it away."

Flushing a bright red as Levi was up in his space even more than usual, Eren's eyes were practically bugging out as the rest of the table took everything they had to keep themselves from vocally laughing at the display of their superior's misplaced confidence.

Glancing to the side and silently casting a pleading look at Armin and Christa, the blondes merely smiled sheepishly. On the other hand, Jean, Marco, and Ymir had their hands clasped over their mouths. Even Jean's shoulders shook from the laugh he was suppressing. Hanji, Petra, and Erwin seemed to be equally amused. Thankfully, the bar's background noise drowned out the stifled breathing patterns of the group as Eren's boss remained unwavering about his decision.

Suddenly, Levi's fingers brushed over Eren's lips before cupping his cheek and pulling him in until their faces were mere centimeters apart. Letting out a barely audible laugh, the shorter male murmured in a low voice.

"Staying silent isn't going to trick me into changing my answer, Petra. Reverse psychology is idiotic."

While Levi took Eren's rigidness and silence for a ploy to trick him, the young man was merely overstimulated, being left a hot mess from his boss' touches, even if they were mistaken ones.

Clicking his tongue, Levi pulled his hand away and began grabbing the tied area of the gauze from the back of his head. As he did so, Eren straightened his back and instinctively wrapped one arm around his torso out of embarrassment.

The moment the gauze fell away to reveal the chosen person, the whole table began howling and bursting with laughter. Levi was caught off-guard as he didn't see a face in front of him but a person's torso. He slowly looked upwards to see not Petra but Eren bright red and faced away from him.

".. you're shitting me."

Levi stated in disbelief as his eyes slightly widened before turning to the table with an irritated expression. For once, his icy glare had no effect as the rest of the table was in tears from the scene that had played out. Cackling as she took her glasses off and fanned her face, Hanji spoke up in between her laughs.

"Oh my god.. _haH_ I can't believe that _actually_ worked..!"

Clicking his tongue, Levi was visibly bitter at his loss before looking back up at Eren. Eren refused to make eye contact with Levi as the blush on his face stubbornly remained.

Ymir was laughing as loud as Hanji at this point. She slapped her girlfriend on the back before pointing at Eren.

"HA Jesus Christ- Eren's fucking flushing like some newlywed virgin!"

Joining in, Jean sneered at Eren with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"This the first time you've ever had action, Eren? You look like you've just found out where babies come from!"

Glaring at Ymir and Jean, Eren spoke up in an irritated tone as his cheeks only turned more scarlet.

"Of course, I'm not a fucking virgin you dicksuckers! Let's just move on to the next person.."

Ymir smiled back at Eren's scowl and chimed back with a snap of her fingers.

"Ey, I don't know about you, but none of us here are sucking dick, am I right, Jean boy?!"

Ymir then high fived Jean with a grin as Christa flushed and squeaked out her girlfriend's name to chastise her.

Rolling his eyes, Eren huffed before unintentionally looking back at Levi, who was staring at him. Freezing up at the unexpected eye contact, the assistant faltered under the other's intense look before ignoring it and quickly sitting down next to Petra. Eventually, Levi sat down as well, switching places with his assistant as he took the edge of the seat now.

"Well..guess I'll have to wait on that Roomba."

Stating casually, Levi simply stared ahead. Unsure of how to respond or react, Eren simply swallowed thickly. He silently urged himself to open his mouth to speak but his lips wouldn't part, let alone his voice even making sound. Instead, a small huff that cheaply resembled laughter escaped his throat.

\-----

By the end of the night, everybody was hammered if not significantly drunk except for the designated drivers. Jean has lost a bet from a dare himself and had fallen victim to Eren being able to choose his costume for the Halloween party. Sasha and Connie took enough shots to get to the stage of their drunkenness where they began loudly singing pop songs horribly off-key. This time it was _California Girls_ by Katy Perry. Christa and Marco were left holding up Ymir and Jean who were equally trashed. As they all filed out of the bar unceremoniously, it was in silence that they all agreed the night was fun to say the least. Even Jean, who was freaking out in the beginning, let himself go fairly quickly.

By the end of the night, Levi was incredibly drunk. After being caught lying for two rounds, one of which he tried lying twice, he had to consume nine shots. Even this amount was a lot for a person with high tolerance, especially for someone who was barely 5'3.

Eren simply waited outside next to Armin who managed to keep sober as he was responsible for taking everybody home. He could definitely feel the effects of the alcohol he consumed in total by the end of the night. A slight buzz of warmth washed over himself as he watched Petra step out with Levi's arm slung around her shoulders. Seeing that she was struggling and that the raven-haired individual was more than incapable of handling himself, the assistant didn't think before he instinctively lifted Levi off of the small female.

Surprised at the sudden action, Petra simply looked at Eren who now had Levi in a piggy back.

"I know he's short but he's definitely not light. Don't worry, I can carry him."

Recovering quickly from the slight surprise, a small laugh escaped her lips before she smiled at Eren.

"Thank you, Eren. You're too sweet."

"Well, I wasn't going to just stand here and watch you struggle."

Shooting back with a small smile, Eren watched as Petra beamed up at him before looking at the scenery around them. Breathing in deeply, Petra let out a sigh before looking back at the assistant warmly.

"You know, I'm glad that Levi kept you as his assistant. He's been a lot more tolerable and less cutthroat since you've worked under him, believe it or not."

Taken aback at the claim, Eren could only let out a disbelieving laugh.

"Is that so? I never really thought that would be the case.."

Petra nodded.

"It really is. On top of it all, it makes the wedding planning a lot more bearable when I discuss it with him."

"Oh.."

The world around Eren came to an abrupt halt as his heart felt like it got crushed. Unable to find the words for a proper response, he stood there as he processed Petra's words. _Wedding plans..?_

So it was true after all..

Suddenly, Armin walked up to the three of them and spoke up with a concerned expression.

"I think Erwin is still waiting for Hanji to finish throwing up in the bathroom.. he texted me asking if you 'still had medicine for her like last time', Petra?"

Reading the text aloud, the blond looked up at Petra as a look of realization washed over her.

"Oh- I do actually! Hold up.."

Rummaging around in her purse, Petra pulled out her car key before handing it to Eren. Shifting his arm high enough to grab it without dropping Levi, she clapped her hands together as she smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Eren.. do you mind leaving Levi in the car for me? You don't have to wait, I'm sure you want to go home but I can take you back if your group of friends wants to hit the road already! My car is the champagne civic!"

Nodding slowly, Eren jumped to shift Levi upwards on his back to keep him up.

"It's no problem."

As Petra rushed off to go help Hanji, Eren made eye contact with Armin. The blond had a knowing expression on his face, causing Eren to speak up before his best friend could in a warning tone.

"Don't-"

"What?? I wasn't going to say anything.."

Cutting off Eren and trailing off in an innocent tone, Armin simply turned back to Eren again and spoke up nonchalantly.

"You know, I heard from Petra that Levi's a special type of drunk. Too bad he's passed out right now.. but I suddenly remembered that Sasha was going to rip the rest of us apart if we don't go grab something to eat quickly so I think I'm going to have to leave you to take care of Levi this once.."

"Wha- Armin-!"

Already walking off, the blond waved bye at Eren without turning back. Eren huffed in exasperation. It was obvious his friend was just trying to allow his friend quality time with Levi, even if his boss was currently passed out and unable to talk. On top of that, he didn't have the opportunity to tell Armin about the fresh news he was just unintentionally given by Petra. Grumbling to nobody, the assistant began walking to the parking lot, looking for Petra's car. Now that it was just the two of them, Eren noticed the temperature outside. He slightly shivered from the night's coldness, the only heat he received being from Levi's body warmth seeping into his back. Soft strands of black tickled the back of his neck as he trudged through the lot, staring out at open nothingness.

Letting out a vocal sigh, Eren's breath froze up in the air, spiraling out into white wisps. It was everything and nothing at once. To be giving his drunk boss a piggy back through a parking lot in the middle of the night. Every huff of heat, every twitch against his back sent a burning but painful warmth through Eren's heart.

Eren finally located the car and unlocked it before opening up the back seat and dropping Levi onto the leather cushions. Turning around, he froze up at the sight of Levi peacefully sleeping. Feet remaining frozen in place, Eren couldn't help but stare down at Levi as he unintentionally was drawn into the sight.

Levi's face was pale, white, and cold to the touch like perfectly polished marble. Long black lashes fluttered under Eren's shadow as the usual furrow between the man's brows had been washed away from intoxication. Levi looked almost harmless when asleep, unknowing and unsoiled by the struggles of adulthood. The only evidence that showed otherwise was through the usual dark circles under his eyes. Ocean eyes trailed down from his superior's eyelids to his small nose and finally came to a stop at the other's mouth. Levi's lips were parted as soft, inaudible breaths slowly passed in and out. They looked soft and supple like candy to a child. A raw desire to meet Levi's lips with his own burned in the pit of Eren's stomach. However, he kept it at bay. The alcohol he had drunk for the night enticed the voices of desire in the back of his head to come out and play but Eren refused to humour those ideas. Taking one last long look at Levi, his chest felt as if it was being asphyxiated, swelling with a feeling he knew deep down was not lust alone.

Eren smiled sadly before slowly lifting a hand. Placing it gently against Levi's cheek, his breath stuttered from the cold tickling his fingers. The iciness of the other's face only made him feel all the more heated. It was all ironic. Feelings were ironic. Life itself was ironic.

Maybe it was time to give up now. If there was anything to go by, it was definitely the brief but painful conversation with Petra.

" _You never leave my mind..but I know I never cross yours._ "

Chuckling bitterly to himself, Eren choked out the line in a whisper to Levi's sleeping form. Silence followed after his words, and the wind's soft howl was the only response to his confession. The other remained in an intoxicated slumber. As bittersweet as it was to imagine a scenario where those words went through to the other, Eren knew such lines would only come out of him in situations where Levi would never hear them.

Shaking his head, Eren huffed. It was just the alcohol talking. The assistant slowly pulled himself back and up out of the car doorway, only to feel a recently familiar coldness encase itself around his wrist. Glancing back in surprise, emerald eyes were met with hazy silver ones. Staring back at a barely conscious Levi with widened eyes, Eren could only keep eye contact as he remained silent, trembling. His boss didn't hear him..right?

Waiting for Levi to speak up, Eren crouched back down and gulped. Once Levi had Eren's attention, the other pulled his hand away, allowing his assistant's wrist to slip out of his fingers as he began pinching the bridge of his nose and squeeze his eyes shut. The crease between his brows had returned as Levi grunted drowsily. Opening them slowly again, slivers of grey blearily peeked through his lids as Levi spoke up with a slight slur.

"Eren, is that you?"

"Yes... it's me, sir. Do you need anything? Petra and the others are probably going to return any moment now to take us home."

Speaking in a soothing tone, a slight nervousness tinted Eren's voice. He was unsure of when the other exactly became conscious. The emotions within him were constantly conflicting. He wanted to pursue something, yet he didn't. He wanted to make something happen, but he didn't want a spiraling disaster. Ignoring the internal screaming panic in his head, Eren simply stared at Levi with big eyes. His boss drowsily stared back. A minute passed as they simply looked at each other, an unsettling unsureness hanging in the air.

Finally, Levi lifted his hand and drunkenly grasped Eren's hair's ends, a sharp breath being sucked in between the assistant's lips. Eren's mouth was dry as cotton. He couldn't bring himself to properly function as Levi drunkenly pet him. Levi let out a dry husky laugh before bending his knuckles and bunching up a small section of Eren's hair in his hand.

"Hanji was right..it is soft. Like a big puppy."

Remembering Armin's statement, Eren registered the answer. Levi was an honest drunk.

Flushing a dark scarlet, Eren looked away. He shouldn't have his heart racing at a comparison of himself to a dog but here he was. Nimble fingers ran through a waterfall of chocolate strands, causing Eren's heartbeat to temporarily come to a violent halt. A half-assed attempt of a smile tugged at the corner of Levi's lips as his gunmetal eyes slightly crinkled in amusement as he spoke up again in a low, rough voice.

"Sorry, kid...I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable tonight. Your hair was long so I assumed you were Petra.."

Trailing off as his eyes slowly closed again, pale fingers slipped out of curled locks of brown as Levi slipped back into unconsciousness, leaving Eren's heart incredibly cold and heavy. A bittersweet feeling coursed through his heart at the other's drunken commentary. Fate was never aligned right for Eren. It was never meant to be, and maybe it was finally time for Eren to accept it for once. It was time he buried the hatchet when it came to his feelings. Eren couldn't chase after an engaged man. For once, giving up was the option to go with.

Whispering out in a melancholy tone, the assistant smiled back at the other sadly. He replied to an already unconscious Levi.

"Don't worry about it..sir.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody commented on a previous chapter about angst and I was thinking: really? I feel like I haven't put any at all yet. But I did lay the smallest bit in this chapter.
> 
> If anybody gives two craps to read my notes, this account is a joint account. It is shared between two writers. One of us is a man and the other is a woman. Felt like pointing it out because I realized people might assume WingsofCorporal is a single female writer after reading a comment. No hate to the person however, thanks to them for having us realize this detail.
> 
> For Bottoms Up (this story), it is written by only one of us and I am the male. (hello. 👋🏻)


	10. You'll Need It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everybody!
> 
> Here is Chapter 10 of Bottoms Up. To be honest, this chapter was actually going to be really short but I felt bad about the length and decided I could take on more. Therefore, I combined my original chapter 10 and 11 together into one and will write an extra chapter. I hope you all enjoy this story still as I worry it isn't good enough sometimes. Also, side note, I wanted to show you guys how I see Eren and Levi in my story. So here is a link to amazing art online that captures how Eren and Levi look in this story. You can see it [here](https://twitter.com/kuroka04/status/1299100301115322368?s=21) .

**Chapter 10**

_Levi’s POV_

“Wake up, Levi.”

A voice echoed in the back of Levi’s head before it became louder, his consciousness coming back to him. A pair of beautiful ocean eyes were staring back at him. Groaning as an aching throb pounded in his head, Levi slowly opened his eyes before they quickly squinted in protest to the sunlight. _Fuck, where was he?_ Suddenly, a tall figure stood over him, holding two cups but he couldn’t make out details.

“Eren..?”

Levi muttered in a raspy voice as he lifted a hand over his face to help adjust his eyesight to his surroundings. His head was pounding and heavy as if it was weighed down by boulders and his eyebags were significantly more dark and prominent than usual. He couldn’t remember a good portion of the night. It was all blacked out from his memory as soon as he downed that ninth shot.

Levi received a hearty chuckle as he was handed a cup.

“No, it’s Erwin.”

No longer blinded, Levi’s gunmetal orbs finally registered the person in front of him and it was very much indeed not his bright eyed assistant.

Erwin stood tall over him as Levi took the warm drink gratefully. His throat felt parched and was a hell of a combination with the scratchiness of his throat and the pounding throb in his head. Levi took a long sip as the familiar taste of black tea burned its way down his throat in a heavenly way. He felt better to say the least. Sitting up with a grunt, Levi looked around and realized he was at Erwin’s house. Glancing to his left, he noticed the neighboring couch had a discarded blanket as well and miscellaneous objects scattered around it. _A fucking mess.._ Only one person made that type of mess. Scoffing, Levi glanced back up at Erwin who was looking at him with an amused expression and spoke up. 

“Where did Hanji go? Did I really wake up that late for that nut job to have already run off doing something?”

Letting out a charming laugh, Erwin flashed him a perfect set of pearly white teeth with his smile.

“You know how she is. She’s coming back with food. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that woman held back by a hangover. It’s like she’s immune.”

“You got that fucking right.”

Levi replied before he took another gulp of his drink and Erwin hummed in agreement. A tensed silence fell over them as Levi ignored it. However, his friend was not willing to do the same.

“So...Eren?”

“Tch..”

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Levi glared at Erwin who simply stared back at him, obviously humored. The shorter man stared at his friend hard before speaking up coldly.

“I couldn’t see well and my vision was misplaced. Probably too used to seeing him in the office all the time.”

“Is that so?”

Responding with a knowing tone, Erwin sat down on the couch next to Levi who’s vexation only grew at his friend’s attitude. Levi slammed his cup down on the table in front of him before crossing his arms and facing Erwin. The blond was facing forward casually, paying no mind to even glance in his friend’s direction as he drank from his own cup. However, Levi wasn’t fond of charades and decided to get straight to the point as usual. Perhaps this was something Erwin already predicted from him.

“What is this about, Erwin?”

Snapping at the other, Levi’s intense glare remained focused on Erwin who remained composed. He didn't know what the other was trying to say and that in itself was already aggravating. Although Erwin was indeed Levi and Hanji’s boss at work, their bond as longtime friends came first and foremost, especially more so when outside of business hours. Their friendship had stretched out for years and was of great importance. Gently setting his own cup down, Erwin cleared his throat before turning to face his friend.

“I just happened to notice you’ve been paying more attention to your assistant than usual as of lately.”

“He’s my assistant. It’s practically mandatory for me to keep an eye on him. However, it’s fucking nice of you to start noticing that just now, eyebrows.”

Erwin raised an eyebrow at Levi’s brazen statement before continuing. 

“I’m going to be blunt with you, Levi.”

Seeing as his friend was not understanding of his passive attempts at the topic, Erwin interlaced his fingers before sighing and making eye contact with the other. Levi simply sat there with his legs crossed as he sipped on his tea with a bored expression.

“Are you sleeping with Eren?”

Caught absolutely off guard, Levi choked on his drink, setting the cup down as he coughed. The hot liquid was now searing his throat unpleasantly.

_Fucking Christ, how many times was he going to choke on a drink because of his assistant?_

Staring back at Erwin with a bewildered expression, Levi cleared his pipe before speaking up, dumbfounded at the question as the crease between his brows deepened.

“ _What the fuck did you ask me, Erwin?_ ”

“You heard me. Are you _sleeping_ with your assistant?”

Staring hard at Erwin with a crazed expression, Levi sat there waiting for the other to suddenly laugh and say it was a joke. However, it never came. In disbelief, Levi crossed his arms again as he scowled.

“What on fucking earth would give you the impression that I am sleeping with _Eren_?”

Spitting out in an offended tone, Levi remained glaring at Erwin. His boss simply shrugged nonchalantly before setting his own cup down.

It was true that the dare he gave Eren last night was a bit..unconventional. But that was due to Hanji and him wanting to confirm their thoughts about Eren’s choice of clothing after all this time. It only left Levi more confused as Eren was not wearing lacy panties but your regular boxers found at any store. Maybe he had a girlfriend with a weird kink and they were messing around that day. Fuck if Levi knew.

“You just seem to be more accommodating to him than your other workers. I understand he is your assistant but I have always noticed you are more lenient towards him. Recently, it seems like both of you are acting a bit strange. In addition..”

Trailing off, Erwin frowned before speaking up again.

“Eren seems to have this strained expression whenever he is in a room with Petra. She hasn’t noticed of course but then again, Petra is not one to go out of her way to look for those types of things. Your assistant seems to be very uncomfortable around her if not even almost upset.”

Levi only grew more confused as Erwin continued talking. Finally, he held up a hand to silence his friend before speaking up.

“Eren upset at _Petra_ ? The two hardly interact as far as I’m concerned. What are you trying to _really_ get at, Erwin?”

Erwin stared back at Levi, deep in thought for a good second before slowly turning away. Levi’s eyes were burning a hole through the other as he tapped his foot, blatantly impatient with the blond. A look of realization replaced Erwin’s thinking expression as if he had figured something out.

“..Ah so that’s what it is.”

Levi growled in annoyance at Erwin’s vague lines. It was too soon and he was too hungover to be trying to decipher Erwin’s ridiculous mind games.

“What is _what?_ ”

The blond turned back to his friend and chuckled.

“I was worried I had to step in and figure things out with you. After all, we can’t have your future _wife_ be upset now, can we?”

Rolling his eyes, Levi flipped Erwin off before finishing off his drink.

“Yeah, of course, _my_ Petra has nothing to worry about.”

The two stared back at each other long and hard before Levi spoke up again in a less sharp edged tone.

“What were you trying to say in the first place?”

Pausing momentarily, Erwin decided to confess.

“I thought you were possibly having a fling with your assistant.”

Making a face, Levi stared hard at Erwin before speaking up in a dumbfounded voice.

“..fling. As in _fucking_?”

“I wanted to be more elegant with my wording but yes, I suppose that is what I mean.”

Lips slightly parted in shock, Levi could only remain staring at Erwin, stupefied, as if he had grown an extra head. Silence washed over the two once again. Suddenly, Levi was scoffing and letting out an airy laugh.

“Is this a fucking joke? Did Hanji set you up to this? I’m too hungover to be taking your shitty fuckery right now, Erwin.”

Erwin frowned before crossing his arms.

“Levi, we’ve known each other for a long time now and the one thing I’d have to say is that I’m not joking.”

“You’re not joking? Well, I’m not fucking gay and neither is Eren. On top of this...shitshow of an accusation, I would not be doing anything with anybody let alone _Eren_ given my current _status_. Let’s leave it at that and call it a day.”

Speaking up coolly, Erwin glanced at Levi who shot him another look

“What makes you say Eren isn’t gay?”

Levi made an annoyed face of disbelief.

“Why the fuck would Eren be gay?”

“Well, why couldn’t he be?”

Opening his mouth to argue, Levi frowned. Was it wrong of him to assume Eren was into women? Then again, he never really thought about his assistant’s love life. Why should he, after all? The topic just led him back to the memory of Eren bending over that day in the office. Pressing his lips together in a tight line, Levi stared ahead and muttered bitterly.

“It’s not my business either way.”

The two men sat on the couch, staring ahead out at the balcony through the glass door of Erwin’s house. This time, Levi took the initiative to speak up.

“What made you even think of such a crazy idea? I’m starting to think you’re losing brain cells, Erwin. Considering you’re CEO, I suggest you fucking keep a few at least.”

The blond merely chuckled and responded.

“You’re a very observant man, Levi. But maybe not so much when it comes to aspects that don’t revolve around work and business.”

Grabbing the empty cups, Erwin stood up and looked at Levi.

“As your friend and not your boss, I want to make sure you’re not blindsided by a situation you’ve never considered. Maybe you should pay closer attention to how you act around Eren. I don’t want Petra to be hurt by any future occurrences.”

Sitting stiffly on the couch, Levi breathed out sharply before looking to the side as his eyebrows furrowed.

“This is fucking ridiculous.”

A million thoughts were racing through Levi’s head as he sat there while Erwin went to put away their cups. How Eren acts around Petra? How _he himself_ acts around Eren?

Levi was at a loss for what to say or even presume. Shoving the thoughts to the back of his head, he grumbled at nobody in particular. He had genuine, pressing issues to worry about such as his work and clients. Not shitty eyebrows theories or his unreasonably thought inducing assistant.

\-----

_Eren’s POV_

He wasn’t imagining it. There was _definitely_ no way he was imagining this. As oblivious or narrow sighted Eren was about certain things, even a blind person could pick up on this and at this point it was painfully obvious.

Glancing over the sheet of paper in his hand, Eren stared hard at his boss who was sitting at his own desk going over the weekly clientele. Ever since they had all gotten drunk that night at the bar last week, Levi was suddenly acting extremely wary of Eren.

_Could it be…?_

Emerald eyes widening, Eren furiously shook his head as he squeezed his eyes shut at the thought.

_There was no way Levi heard him that night..he was drunk out of his mind let alone knocked out. It must be something else..but what?_

“Jaeger.”

Levi’s low hiss snapped the assistant out of thought. His head shot up and he faced his boss with wide eyes.

“Uh- Yes, sir..!”

“What are you doing shaking your head like some feral mutt? Tch, get back to work..”

Growling in annoyance, Levi clicked his tongue in disapproval. Eren quietly sighed to himself as he quickly scrounged about. It seemed like Levi wasn’t feeling off-put enough to not reprimand him..

Deciding to put thoughts about his boss’ behavior aside for now, Eren went back to focusing on his work. The unbroken silence lasted for a good portion of the day. Eren’s attempts in ignoring the situation didn’t succeed for very long. Everywhere he saw Levi, interacted with Levi and addressed Levi, the man was constantly on edge. Most people would probably have failed to notice the shift in behavior but Eren wasn’t most people. Whenever his boss was stressed or put off by something or somebody, he would clench his jaw more than usual. In addition, the other also had a habit of pursing his lips ever so slightly at a certain angle. True, it might seem creepy to admit Eren was aware of such minute details but this was his boss and his job was to assist him. With Levi Ackerman as your superior, knowing and noticing everything down to the smallest thing was _mandatory_. Unfortunately, this case also meant things that were non-work related would also be noticed. Such as this situation.

It all started off with small send aways..

\-----

_“Eren, go give these files to Moblit. He needs them for Hanji.”_

_“Oh..okay!”_

_“Eren, go deliver this box to Erwin’s team. They requested these files five minutes ago.”_

_“Oh- understood, sir!”_

_“Eren, go pass these forms out to everybody.”_

_“Couldn’t you just email the...nevermind! Yes, Mr. Ackerman.”_

\-----

Then it continued into the smallest of conversations..

\-----

_“Ah- hey, I know it’s not my place to ask..but did you get home alright?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Oh..okay, that’s good then!”_

_“Whew..this client is really demanding this time..”_

_“Mmm..”_

_“Do you need me to grab you anything for lunch before I head out, sir?”_

_“No.”_

\-----

It was true that Levi was never the most talkative person but it felt like all the effort Eren had put into getting closer to his boss by the tiniest bit had all vanished into thin air. Levi was beginning to treat him just like his other coworkers if not even more distant. Eren had suspected the other sent him out on so many errands so they wouldn’t be in the office together as much but he had thought it must have been him overthinking. Now..not so much anymore.

Eren was now out of their office at least a quarter of the time he worked and ignored for the rest. He was disregarded so much that he even had to ask if there was anything else he could do at times. As much as Eren could handle his boss’ usual cold exterior, this was a lot icier than normal and even felt like it was impacting work a bit. He quietly packed up as soon as work hours ended. Levi was no longer requesting him to stay overtime anymore too. Although it was less work, the action in itself made Eren a little down. Walking through the doorway with his belongings, he turned to face his boss.

“Well..I’m off..good work, Levi.”

The other merely grunted in response, not even sparing a glance in Eren’s direction. Eren looked down at the ground as he pressed his lips together in a thin line.

_Well..nothing new he supposed._

\-----

It was a new day and Eren walked into the office with two drinks in his hand. One was coffee while the other was a steaming hot cup of tea. Lunch break hadn’t ended but the assistant decided to come back earlier than the other workers as usual, even if the work he was assigned was significantly less than before still.

“Oi, finally decided to treat me like a king, Eren?”

Jean smirked and tried grabbing the cup, only to have it pulled out of his reach by Eren who scoffed.

“In your dreams, Jeanbo. This is for Levi.”

“Hah! You’re getting sent out for tea _too_ now? That’s a fucking riot.”

It didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the team that Eren was being sent out a lot more than usual lately. Both Sasha and Connie peeked out from their cubicles. Connie flashed him a cheeky smile as Sasha was currently chewing on something as always.

“Eyy, good afternoon, suicidal brat!”

“Ack-! Connie, don’t! _He_ might hear you!”

Sasha squeaked with wide eyes as Connie paled.

“Don’t even scare me with that thought, Sasha..it’s not like he doesn’t know the nickname though..we're fine, I think?”

Murmuring warily, Connie looked around. Eren laughed before turning to walk away.

“Levi isn’t going to kill you over it. He’s a lot more nice than you think-”

“Jaeger.”

A stern tone came from behind Eren and he quickly turned around. Facing Levi, the assistant smiled sheepishly as Jean took the chance to scurry off whistling. Connie and Sasha had already ducked their heads back into the cubicle.

“Ah- I’m back, sir! I got-”

“Good afternoon. Let’s go work now as we should be doing.”

Cutting off Eren, Levi was already walking off towards their office. Eren briefly faltered before shaking off the small pang of hurt from the cut off and following quickly after. As soon as they walked through the doorway, Levi quickly sat down at his desk. Eren stopped at the entrance, hesitating for a moment. Deciding to not back away, the assistant walked up to his boss’ desk. It only took a few seconds for Levi to notice the other before he looked up.

“Yes, Eren?”

“Uh..you usually give me my tasks as soon as I come back in..so, yeah..”

Trailing off with uncertainty, Eren then looked down and remembered he had a second cup in his hand before perking up again.

“Oh- I went by the coffee shop today and I, uh, remembered you like this drink so I got you one..”

“Don’t need it.”

“Oh..”

Slightly taken aback at the abrupt rejection, Eren was temporarily frozen. It was just a refusal of a drink but it still stung. On top of that, it enforced the idea that Levi was possibly avoiding him in certain ways. Swallowing, the assistant’s throat felt tight as he slowly set the cup down. Levi was still refusing to look at him, glaring at the papers in his hand as always instead. The situation turned Eren’s surprise to hurt. Feeling overwhelmed from all the actions piling up, the assistant clenched his jaw and words flew out of his mouth before he could think.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

It wasn’t until Levi’s cold silver eyes shot up to meet Eren’s that the assistant processed he said those words aloud. _Shoot._ If Eren felt stuck in place before, he was definitely more than petrified now. Levi seemed a bit taken back for a split second at his assistant’s bold question but recovered in record time. Pausing awkwardly, he slowly looked down at his papers again but his jaw was tight with tension.

“..I’m not avoiding you.”

The mortification Eren was experiencing had quickly evaporated at the other’s claim. The corner of his mouth pulled into a slight frown. Levi was definitely lying. Now, the assistant felt slightly agitated if anything. Narrowing his eyes at the seated man, Eren crossed his arms.

“Are you _sure_ , Levi?”

Twitching in response to the casual addressment Eren utilized rarely, Levi pursed his lips before setting the papers down. He then interlaced his fingers and looked up, expressionless, at Eren who was staring suspiciously at him. Eren stood there, nervous but determined to get his answers. If there was one trait of Eren’s that always prevailed, it was his stubbornness.

“Why would I be avoiding you?”

“I don’t know..you tell me.”

Steel grey eyes narrowed as they scrutinized Eren. Staring back, the assistant kept his arms crossed as he began tapping his foot, earning an arched brow from his boss. The small motion was kind of cute honestly, but Eren shoved the thought to the side. Just as Levi opened his mouth to speak, a knock on the door echoed throughout the room behind them. Eren turned around as Levi’s stare transferred over to the new guest. Petra stood in the doorway with a stack of papers in one arm, a warm smile adorning her small face.

“May I come in?”

At the request, Levi immediately replied.

“Why even ask? Of course, Petra.”

Petra’s eyes lit up as she strolled in. Having to tilt her head all the way up, topaz orbs clashed with emerald ones as she met Eren’s eyes. In comparison, Eren was practically a giant to the other, the ginger’s height barely reaching his shoulders. The petite employee beamed up at him.

“Good morning, Eren!”

Smiling back at the other, Eren replied politely.

“Good morning, Mrs. Ral.”

Eyes crinkling in contentment at the greeting, Petra let out a soft giggle that sounded like wind chimes. She then grinned at Eren before turning to face Levi with a wink.

“Mrs. Ral? I don’t think that’ll stick for long, am I right, Levi?”

Eyes widening slightly at the other’s words, Eren was momentarily startled and a look of hurt flashed over his face. Even if he decided to give up, it still hurt. Feelings didn’t go away overnight. Or over the weekend for that matter.

Eren quickly composed himself. Now was not the time. The assistant was all back to smiles already by the time Petra’s eyes went back to him.

“Tch..and what about it?”

Clicking his tongue in distaste, Levi roughly stacked the papers into a pile on his desk. Eren was no longer looking hurt but was in fact zoning out as he stared in Petra’s direction, still processing her words.

“Eren..?”

Hearing a meek voice, Eren snapped out of it.

“Are you okay, sweetie? You looked like you were out of it for a second there.”

“Huh..?”

Eren noticed both Levi and Petra were looking at him now. Petra had a worried expression on her face as her eyebrows turned upward. Levi even looked a bit concerned as his gaze remained on his assistant longer than usual before looking away. It looked like he had something on his mind as well however. At this point, Eren couldn’t tell.

Sheepishly laughing, Eren rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Sorry..I just was wandering in my thoughts..”

“Okay..well if you need anything, you can always come to me, Eren.”

Petra smiled at him, cherry glossed lips turning up in reassurance. The assistant could only smile back and gave the smallest nod. To get help from the fiancé of the same person he liked? Now that was more than pathetic.

“So what did you need?”

Getting straight to the point, Levi questioned Petra as she perked up at his voice. Turning around, she took out a handful of papers before handing them to him.

“I just needed to have you send in this to two of your workers and see if they could pick this up tomorrow! Our clientele for this shipment is a big one apparently.”

She went on merrily as Levi took the paper’s and skimmed over them, grey eyes flickering over each detail. The ginger waited for Levi to confirm and send her on her way. However, his eyes stilled on a particular portion of the pages and his lips pursed.

“..Petra.”

Speaking in a cautious but firm tone, Levi’s eyes were glued to the same spot. Tilting her head, Petra responded.

“Yes?”

“...why does this shipment say it’s due for the 12th?”

The room was dipped into silence at Levi’s words. Eren stood to the side awkwardly as Petra’s smile slowly slipped from her paling face.

“..huh?”

Pinching his nose, Levi looked up at the other, with a frustrated expression.

“..These files say the shipments are to be delivered by _today._ ”

“Wha..that can’t be right..”

Trailing off in disbelief, Petra began wringing her hands as she scurried over to Levi’s side. Looking down at the paper herself, the little color remaining on her face drained.

“Oh my god..I didn’t realize..”

Taking no extra time, Levi immediately took action.

“Who informed you it was the 13th?”

“It was Oluo..”

“Get his ass and someone else’s to deliver this _right now._ ”

Growling as his eyes darkened, Levi snapped. The ginger could only squeak back in a scared panic.

“He can’t..! My whole team is headed to Nile’s for a debrief on a new client! Are any of your employees able to?!”

“No, they’re too busy with the last of this month’s reports..”

Petra could only frantically wring her hands as Levi’s mood grew more venomous by the second. The mood in the room took a turn for the worse significantly. 

Suddenly raising his hand, Eren spoke up.

“I could go do it.”

Petra and Levi both looked up at Eren as he shrugged.

“I haven’t really had much to do recently..so..”

Trailing off as he made a passive note on Levi’s current neglect of interaction, Levi simply ignored it. Petra, on the other hand, looked only partially relieved.

“Eren, that’s wonderful but the amount of packages would require the work of two employees..”

Well, work was work. Beggars can’t be choosers.

“It’s okay..I’ll just have to meet ends-”

“I’ll go.”

As soon as Levi volunteered, Eren and Petra whipped their heads around in surprise. Furrowing his eyebrows at the other two’s shock, Levi huffed.

“What? You said it required two people so I’ll go. I’d feel bad leaving the kid to take care of this shitshow himself.”

Slowly nodding, Petra stared at Levi with wide eyes before bending down again and pointing at the files.

“You need to go to this address..that’s the warehouse..and they’ll have the packages there..just make sure to drop it off here..”

Meanwhile, Eren stood there awkwardly as Petra went over the errand with him and Levi quietly huffed in confirmation every few directions.

As soon as she was finished briefing over Levi, Petra turned to Eren and slapped her hands down on both of Eren’s shoulders. Looking up at him with an intense stare, Petra nodded vigorously.

“Alright, Eren! I leave it up to you as well!”

Nodding back at her with wide eyes, Eren glanced at Levi out of the corner of his right eye. His boss didn’t seem all too happy about the change of plans for the day as he sat there, looking exhausted and more annoyed with the world than usual.

“Well, this is my cue as H.R. Manager to go chew out Oluo! I’ll leave the rest to the two of you! Don’t worry, I’ll inform Erwin for you of your leave of absence from the office for today. I doubt you’d be able to make it back by office hours by the time you wrap up..”

Levi scoffed and waved her off.

“Good. You better do that or I’ll go wring out Oluo’s neck myself if that bastard leaves us with this shitty situation a second time.”

Waving bye as she headed to the doorway, Petra let out a vocal sigh and grumbled.

Suddenly, Eren and Levi were left alone once again.

Turning to Levi who was pinching his nose in frustration and stress, Eren began whistling to grab the other’s attention. As soon as Levi looked up in exasperation, the assistant pointed at the now lukewarm tea that remained perched at the corner of his boss’ desk.

“You’ll probably need the drink to wake you up after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter. I had a great conversation with one of the readers of Bottoms Up and they brought up the idea of having a timeline in the notes so I decided to make one in case you needed it. Hope it helps :)
> 
> Timeline:
> 
> Before Beginning of Story:  
> -Eren has worked for Levi as his assistant for 8 months.  
> -Eren is closeted. Only Armin and Mikasa know about his sexuality.
> 
> Chapter 1:  
> -Eren complains about his job to Armin.  
> -Jean brings awareness of office rumors to Eren and Armin about Levi possibly looking at Eren’s lower regions.
> 
> Chapter 2:  
> -Pretty big time jump. Two months have passed since Jean’s mention of the rumour of Levi’s peeking.  
> -Everybody in Levi’s department knows about the rumour except for Eren until now.  
> -However, Sasha brings up another rumour: Levi is engaged to Petra Ral from Human Resources.  
> -Everybody is unsure and confused about which rumors are true and false.  
> -Nifa is introduced.
> 
> Chapter 3:  
> -A week has passed since Chapter 2 (Levi and Eren have known each other for 10 months 1 week.)  
> -Eren tests the waters regarding the rumours of Levi’s eyes wandering.
> 
> Chapter 4:  
> -Half a week has passed since Chapter 3. (10 months 1 ½ weeks)  
> -Levi addresses what has happened in Chapter 3 with his best friend, Hanji Zoe.
> 
> Chapter 5:  
> -Same time period as Chapter 4 except through Eren’s perspective.  
> -Nifa cuts the bullshit and is upfront with Eren and her awareness of his sexuality. Now she knows along with Armin and Mikasa.  
> -Hanji takes Levi’s confession into account from Chapter 3 and casually asks Eren about it.
> 
> Chapter 6:  
> -Team Building Day. (10 months 2 ½ weeks)  
> -Levi and Eren bond a little bit through this experience.
> 
> Chapter 7:  
> -Workday of the night for drinking at Utgard (10 months 2 ¾ weeks)  
> -Levi is hesitant still but now they are on friendly basic conversation level. Close Acquaintances.  
> -Armin gets smart and invites their higher ups in order to get Levi to come.
> 
> Chapter 8:  
> -Drinking night  
> -Armin gives Eren a wake up call.  
> -Levi sees Eren in distress and does his best to help his assistant out in his own way.  
> -Their bond deepens as a result and Eren subconsciously falls harder.
> 
> Chapter 9:  
> -Truth or Dare Game  
> -Eren has a conversation with Petra, ultimately finding out that the engagement is real after all.  
> -Eren decides it’s best to give up for once and let go of his chase after Levi. 
> 
> Chapter 10:  
> -Erwin questions Levi about Eren.  
> -Levi starts passively avoiding Eren.  
> -Shipment problem occurs.


	11. Shit Jokes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think I made the previous parts angsty but it made me glad that you guys who commented were affected to such a level for the small sad moments. I'm happy that what I write can elicit such an emotion in you and it makes me feel like I haven't failed as a writer.
> 
> Don't feel afraid to comment and let me know how you like the story so far! I enjoy seeing your messages and conversing with you guys. Right now, I've been in and out of the hospital and this is one of the few things I can do during my past time. Thank you for the 135+ kudos.

**Chapter 11**

_Levi’s POV_

“Oi- where are you guys going..?”

Peeking out of his cubicle and questioning the two, Jean looked at Eren and Levi in confusion as they were headed towards the elevators. Sasha and Connie followed suit, poking their heads out to stare at the pair in curiosity. Before Eren could open his mouth, Levi glared at the trio with a look cold enough to freeze over the desert, earning widened eyes and scared expressions in return.

“We’re going to clean up the fucking mess Oluo made. We’ll be gone for the day but that doesn’t mean you can slack off. I better see those fucking reports on my desk first thing tomorrow.”

“..that weird guy from Petra’s department that has the same undercut as you?”

Speaking up slowly, Jean boldly asked as Levi’s face darkened at the question. Ever since the night out, Levi’s employees still feared their boss to the moon and back but now they went from being absolutely terrified to moderately wary. It helped ease the tension at work the slightest bit which wasn’t the worst sometimes. Levi’s left eye twitched before he spoke up coldly.

“Yes. That buffoon.”

Eyes widening, Sasha seemed to be thinking for a split second before speaking up.

“Wait..so the three of us still have to go to that meeting while Eren gets to go off!?”

Jean then frowned before crossing his arms and shooting Eren a look.

“Oi, that’s right..how come you get to go run off? That’s not fair!”

Eren scoffed before grinning.

“Because some of us are _special_ , horse boy. Maybe if you didn’t neigh so much, you’d get to go out and run in the fields too.”

Sputtering in response, Jean grumbled as Eren shrugged with a cocky smile.

“Don’t get too excited now, brat. It’s going to be a shitty ass errand run if you ask me.”

Speaking up gruffly, Levi looked at his assistant out of the corner of his eye as he arched a brow at Eren’s difference in attitude.

Eren momentarily froze up as he forgot to behave more respectfully in front of Levi. However, it didn’t seem like the other was reprimanding him about it. Remembering what Levi said about listening up, Eren could only smile sheepishly in response.

The elevator then dinged and Levi stepped in with his assistant quickly following after. Turning back around and pressing the parking button, Levi nodded farewell.

“Jean. Connie. Sasha.”

They all nodded back and waved.

“Good luck, boss!”

“We’ll keep the fort down!”

“Bring back some snacks! But only if you’re able to..hehe..”

Levi rolled his eyes at Sasha’s request as the elevator door shut.

\-----

“ _Oh my god- no fucking way.._ ”

Gasping as they rounded the corner, the assistant’s eyes were practically bugging out of his sockets as his jaw hung open.

“Is that a fucking Bugatti!?”

Eren pointed a finger at the sleek black Bugatti sitting in the parking lot as Levi picked the car keys out of his pocket. Unlocking the car with a beep only made the assistant’s jaw hang open wider as he processed the model in front of him.

“Maybe if you situate your ass in the car already, this vehicle can be put to good use.”

Speaking coolly as he went to the driver’s side, Levi opened the door and got in, slightly amused by his assistant’s shock. The surprise soon turned to glee though as Eren practically hopped into the car. Looking around the inside in wonder, Eren let out an overwhelmed scoff. The assistant’s eyes were practically brimming with childlike excitement as they swept over the dashboard. Seeing Eren light up was like watching a kid get presents on Christmas. It was oddly endearing and the happiness from the other was contagious. The car purred to live and Levi turned on the air conditioner. Slowly grounding himself, Eren slowly turned to Levi with amazement.

“..How did you even afford this car? I mean, I know we work at Survey Corps but this would still take a good chunk out of your payroll, right..?”

Contemplating whether he should answer, Levi decided he felt comfortable enough to be honest for some reason. Maybe it was the way Eren was looking at him with those big ocean eyes that made him feel at ease or more open about it.

“..My uncle is loaded. He’s the only guardian I have left but he’s never given me the proper care of a parental figure. What I got in exchange for care and love was cold hard cash instead and the occasional slap on the wrist. You’re looking at one of the things I decided to blow my money on out of teenage rebellion, kid.”

 _Levi had this car since he was a teenager?_ Eren was taken aback by the new piece of information. However, he couldn’t help but frown.

“As much as a bugatti is crazy cool and all..I don’t think I’d have it over a proper childhood..then again I guess mine isn’t as bad. At least, I still have one parent.”

Laughing awkwardly, Eren began twirling a stray strand of hair from his tied up hair around his finger. Levi tensed up at the news. He always had an inkling that his assistant never had his mother around from small signs or mentions in passing conversations. However, hearing it outright was different. Before he could respond, his assistant seemed to have processed his line over again and was internally cringing. Levi watched as Eren chewed the inside of his cheek and looked out the window. Opening his mouth to speak, he felt awkward about it and decided to keep his lips shut after all. The car was silent as Levi began driving out of the space and out the lot. Appreciating the smoothness of the ride, Eren rested his chin on his hand in contentment. Only a few minutes passed and he was already sneaking a peek at Levi out of the corner of his eye.

They never got to address the issue earlier, regarding Levi’s avoiding behavior, but the tension was already at an all time high because of it in addition to the dead parents thing. The environment was making Eren feel antsy already. The assistant was in desperate need of a distraction. Glancing at Levi again, the assistant paused before speaking up.

“Hey, is it okay if I connect my phone to the bluetooth?”

Levi shot him a look out of the corner of his eye and said nothing. This caused Eren to pout and huff.

“Come on, we’re going to be stuck here for..”

Pausing to remember the time, Eren scrunched his nose as he recalled the amount.

“..three hours! That’s 180 _minutes_.”

Levi remained silent, counting on the chance that Eren would simply wither under being ignored and occupy himself with something else. 180 minutes..that was going to be a god awful long fucking ride of awkwardness. Instead, Eren crossed his arms and slightly leaned towards Levi in persistence.

“Leeeviiii”

Scoffing in disbelief, Levi was amused by his assistant’s sudden shift in reservation regarding his behavior. He spoke up in a warning tone, chastising the other.

“Are you whining? We’ve only just left the workplace and you’re already testing my patience.”

“Well, you call me a kid anyways..”

Trailing off as he looked to the side, Eren jabbed his tongue into the inside of his cheek and continued frowning as he leaned over, almost resting his head on Levi’s shoulder. Levi tensed up at the _almost_ contact. Reinforcing his focus on the road, Levi continued driving as his assistant remained adamant and silently pleading. After a minute had passed, he clicked his tongue in annoyance. He couldn’t take Eren’s big puppy dog eyes staring into his soul a second longer. It was almost making him feel bad.

“...connect your stupid phone already.”

Head whipping up in glee, Eren grinned at the other before grabbing the wire. Connecting his phone as his boss continued driving, he stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth in concentration as he finally connected his phone. _What a weirdo._ The name he input for his device popped up and Levi furrowed his brows at it before glancing over at his assistant. 

“..You did not just put yourself as that.”

“Oh but I did. I’d say it’s pretty accurate.”

Humming in self approval, Eren flashed a cheeky smile at Levi who quickly turned back to the front. The words _‘Humanity’s Best Brat’_ popped up on the top screen right under Levi’s own phone. His boss rolled his eyes in disbelief. Eren, however, seemed to be too far up in cloud nine in his boss’ Bugatti to not be overly cautious as usual anymore.

Scrolling through his playlist, Eren finally found the song he wanted and hit play. ([ X ](https://youtu.be/2IE3T9mcqyM))

Levi glanced down at the track before he arched a brow in surprise as Eren began swaying to the beginning. Eren seemed to absolutely love this song. Seemed like there was no way anybody was going to hold his assistant back from enjoying it; not even his boss, Levi.

Turning to Levi with a cheeky smile, Eren laughed before holding up a closed fist to his mouth, pretending to hold a microphone. The guitar rift started and his assistant began shimmying his shoulders. Bright emerald eyes crinkled in excitement at the corners as the assistant began dramatically singing and performing along to the song, taking Levi by surprise.

♪ As long as _you_ notice,

I'm hoping that you'll keep your heart open..

I'll keep mine open too~ ♪

Eren pointed at Levi with his other hand as he mouthed ‘you’ before dramatically tracing a heart over his own torso at the second line and boldly winking at his boss. Before Levi realized it, the corner of his mouth was twitching upwards at his assistant’s antics. Eren really was weird. A combination of a scoff and chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head at his assistant’s ridiculously goofy performance.

♪ If you don't ask, I won't tell

Just know that, just know that

It all hurts, it all hurts just the same ♪

Eren then wagged his finger before pressing it to his lips at the next verse. Turning to face the road, Eren began belting out the last line and throwing a fist in the air with a sad smile.

♪ Something is wrong, I can't explain

Everything changed when the birds came

You'll never know what they might do if they catch you too early

We need to fly ourselves before someone else tells us how

Something is off, I feel like prey, I feel like praying ♪

As soon as they came to a stoplight, Eren had Levi’s full attention. His boss was looking over at him with a look of entertained bafflement. He had never seen Eren let himself go like this. It was honestly refreshing. His assistant surprisingly had some silly dance moves and weirdly good singing skills. Eren began leaning in and clutched his chest as his lips curled into a devilish smirk, making Levi’s chest tighten. Eren’s eyebrows were turned upwards though as he looked content yet hurt as he sang the next lines. A look of longing was plastered on Eren’s face that took the other back by surprise. The expression was raw and genuine, causing Levi to lose his breath as he stared at Eren in wonder.

♪ As long as you notice

I'm hoping that you'll keep your heart open

I'll keep mine open too

So, so, I'll probably take you aside

And tell you what's on my mind

But you, you'll just keep it inside

Probably tell me that you're alright

Something is wrong, I can't explain

Everything changed when the birds came

You'll never know what they might do if they catch you too early

We need to fly ourselves before someone else tells us how

Something is off, I feel like prey, I feel like praying ♪

Eren then turned to face Levi. Tapping his own head cheekily as he winked again, his assistant suddenly lunged forward and leaned in dangerously close. Gunmetal eyes widened in surprise and mesmerization as Eren sang the last lines and ran his fingers through his hair, unintentionally shaking it out of his bun. Long locks of brown tumbled down, quickly whipped away by the wind. Was this still his assistant? As Eren continued singing, the words began sounding more like a question and silent plea from his assistant’s mouth if anything. For some reason, Levi couldn’t bring himself to back up or create space between them. Rather, he didn’t feel the need or urge to. He felt as if he was getting lost in Eren. From the soft wispy strands of hair hugging his caramel skin to the ocean eyes that made you feel like you were at the beach, Levi never fully took in these details until now. His assistant had _really_ beautiful eyes..

Before Levi realized it, he was slowly leaning in as well as if he was entranced. Maybe he really was. He couldn’t pin anything on alcohol yet his mind was clouded in a pleasant warmth from the environment Eren Jaeger built by just being Eren Jaeger. Centimeters away, pools of mediterranean flickered downwards as they were weighed by desire, staring at Levi’s mouth. Levi could feel his assistant’s breath meeting his own..

Suddenly, a loud horn blared from behind their car, earning a jolt from both parties as they snapped out of it. Glancing behind him at an angry driver, Levi profusely cussed before lifting his foot off the brakes and slamming it down on the gas. The sudden acceleration threw Eren back against his own seat with wide eyes as he sharply inhaled. The music was still playing but was now only background noise as they both glued their eyes to the road ahead of them, refusing to look at each other.

As their heads cooled off, Levi remained focused on the road, feeling confused if anything. It _definitely_ wasn’t fucking normal to end up being that close to somebody, even if they were messing around. Brushing a hand over his own torso, Levi frowned. Why did he get so overwhelmed from Eren messing around? This wasn’t good for his heart. Levi wasn’t sparing a glance at Eren but he could place his bets on the fact that his assistant was probably lost too. Or maybe he wasn’t fazed at all about it. Maybe he was just being weird about it. After all, they were both adult men.

The tension was brought back all too soon. The sudden jumps from hot to cold was throwing Levi in for a loop. He didn’t understand it himself. Levi decided to force any odd thoughts on it out of his head. As far as he was concerned, this was over and done with.

As soon as the next song played, Eren’s voice broke the tension yet again. ([ X ](https://youtu.be/kvazBqAlx58))

“Oh man, I haven’t listened to this song in forever..I forgot it was even on my playlist.”

♪ Put your head on my shoulder

Hold me in your arms, baby

Squeeze me oh so tight

Show me that you love me too ♪

As Levi listened to the lyrics, a perplexed expression came over his face. This was definitely an older song, one he was familiar with himself. Letting out a husky laugh, he spoke up again, words coming out of Levi’s mouth before he realized.

“I didn’t take you for a romantic, Jaeger.”

 _Shit, why was he talking so much lately?_ Maybe it was just Eren’s social butterfly attitude rubbing off on him.

Eren flushed before looking away and frowning.

“Shut up..what’s wrong with being romantic?”

Eren’s boss let out an airy chuckle. _How cute._

“I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it. Just that reality isn’t so kind when it comes to fickle things like love.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, marriage is a sham and love is flimsy.”

Eren merely blinked at him owlishly before scoffing.

“Wow...I didn’t know you were _that_ negative.”

“Well..the more you know.”

Replying briskly, Levi shrugged as he continued driving to the warehouse. Eren could only shake his head in disappointment before speaking up again.

“Did someone break your heart or something?”

“No. Just never really experienced this heart throbbing romance that people claim exists. I see relationships as a more practical thing where both parties probably benefit from it for more materialistic or self satisfying purposes.”

Levi’s assistant frowned before pausing, deep in thought.

“Okay, well let’s just say you were placed in a romance movie..”

Already rolling his eyes at Eren’s words, his assistant ignored Levi’s attitude and continued.

“..what would you find to be the most _ideal_ setting?”

Levi remained silent, wavering over answering. Crossing his arms, Eren innocently shrugged before grinning.

“Come on, humor me a little, Mr. Ackerman.”

Shooting him a look, Levi scoffed at Eren before looking ahead at the road and thinking. Deciding to mess with his assistant for fun, he spoke up in a serious voice.

“The ocean. Like that Disney scene in the little mermaid.”

Knitting his eyebrows, Eren had a confused look on his face as he thought hard, recalling what his boss was referring to. He looked perplexed as he hesitantly questioned his boss.

“..Are you talking about the scene where Ariel comes out of the fucking ocean in a sparkling dress?”

“Yes.”

Replying coolly, it took every ounce of strength in Levi to keep on a straight face as his assistant sat there, staring at him with a baffled, unsure look. Okay, maybe messing with Eren was more fun than Levi would admit.

“..uh..wow. That’s definitely very..movie like.”

“Yep. Unrealistic as hell and as fictional as the true love shit itself that you’re spouting. You should be liking my answer.”

Eren seemed like he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Levi’s response, the expression itself already satisfying Levi. It wasn’t everyday that you got to mess with your assistant. Well it was, but Levi wasn’t the type of person to usually do it. Or at least he thought so before. Under most circumstances, if somebody was talking for this long, Levi would have asked for his ears to be bitten off. Hanji’s antics and ramblings were a good example of that. For some reason though, he didn't mind Eren. Maybe it was the fact that he was weird and not like most people that made the conversations interesting. But in a refreshing and tolerable way...not like Hanji. It didn’t take long for Eren to come up with another topic starter as expected.

“Okay, well what about soulmates?”

“What about them?”

“Well, do you think they exist?”

“Maybe in some ways but probably not the same type you're referring to. It would be ridiculous if there’s only a single perfect one.”

Levi continued driving, heading out to the freeway as Eren paused.

“..well, do you think you’ve met your soulmate?”

Looking weirdly at Eren out of the side of his eye, Levi scoffed and decided to humor him again.

“..maybe.”

“Oh..”

Levi’s brows knitted together in confusion as the other went silent before glancing over. Instead of Eren being cheery and ecstatic at Levi’s answer as usual, he seemed down. Unsure of why, Levi flicked through possibilities in his head. Maybe the other was moping because Eren didn’t think he’d find his? Levi wasn’t all that good with emotions and comforting others let alone figuring them out but that was already known.

“Why do you look like you’re constipated?”

Speaking up in a gruff tone, Levi frowned as Eren looked up from his lap at him.

_Shit, okay. Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say._

The other paused as he registered Levi’s line and let out a small laugh.

“I think I’m starting to know why you think true love doesn’t exist. I think you’re scaring away potential partners with your bathroom commentary.”

“Oi, watch it, brat. That bathroom commentary made you laugh so it’s good for something.”

Humming amusingly in agreement, Eren turned and looked out the window as folds of green rushed past. His assistant seemed to be feeling slightly better at least. Maybe he suddenly went all sad because of some bad romantic experience or something? Snapping himself away from his thoughts, Levi sharply inhaled and kept his eyes on the road. Why was he curious anyways? Levi was getting annoyed. He didn’t understand why but Eren looking forlorn made him feel like he should do something to cheer the other up. Maybe it was because his assistant looked up to him so much that he couldn’t help but want to intervene whenever Eren got knocked down. Then again, many people looked up to Levi and he couldn’t give two shits whether they were moping or not.

Struggling to form coherent lines in his head, Levi stiffly looked ahead before speaking up in an awkwardly strained manner. It wasn’t his own damn fault that he wasn’t used to this. Okay, it was but never in a hundred years did he think he’d have to bother with things such as comforting or reassuring someone.

“...Relax, Eren. You’re nineteen and at the prime time of your life. If it’s the soulmate crap you’re worried about, I wouldn’t spend even a single second more dwelling on it. I’m sure you’ll find an attractive woman who’ll make your life complete.”

 _That wasn’t so bad._ Levi was actually even getting better at it if he dared to say so. However, his small internal victory was short lived.

Remaining facing away and looking out the window, Eren mumbled in an equally awkward voice.

".....man."

"what-?"

“I’m gay.”

It took a second for Levi to process Eren’s meek mumble for what it was. Completely at a loss, a single syllable escaped from his lips at the unexpected response.

“..Oh.”

Eyes slightly widened, Levi slowly looked over to see that the other had an equally shocked expression on his own face. It seemed like Eren didn’t even plan on the words coming out of his own mouth when they were uttered. If anything, he seemed even horrified about the slip up. He watched as his assistant slowly clapped a hand over his mouth as Eren continued staring out the window. The car was blanketed in awkward silence as the humming of the engine mixed with the music in the background continued to play. Levi’s brain had frozen over and immediately focused on Erwin’s question from last week, taunting him in the back of his conscience.

_What makes you say Eren isn’t gay?_

_Fucking great._ Levi was back to square one on doing fucking mental olympics to find an appropriate response. However, his assistant seemed to have already been overwhelmed by the following silence. The other was clearly shaken up over it. He looked like he was on the verge of short circuiting. Eren began speaking up again in a panic.

“I..I don’t know why I said that... I just keep hearing the words ‘wife’, ‘girlfriend’ and such all the time and it just drives me nuts so I probably just- _Agh-_ What am I even saying!? I haven’t even told my own coworkers!”

Throwing his hands in the air, Eren suddenly froze before his eyes grew even bigger before he whipped his head towards Levi.

“Wait..Please don’t tell any of them..! I don’t think I found the right time to sa-”

As Eren’s tone and voice climbed higher in pitch and aggravation, Levi’s eye twitched in annoyance before he spoke up without thinking himself.

“Eren, shut the fuck up.”

Noticing Eren snapped shut and was staring back at him with wide eyes, Levi realized he said those words aloud. _Shit._ Levi grimaced for once at his lack of elegance with speaking. Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, Levi racked his brain for the right words.

“What I mean to say...It doesn’t matter..whatever you are. Maybe it came out more naturally because I’m your boss and not somebody closer to you. The feeling of dread or consequences are lessened. It can be hard.. coming out. But if anybody gives you shit for it then that’s on them. They’re missing out on the chance of getting to know how great of a person you can be.”

Levi glanced over at his assistant to see the other looked surprised and unsure.

_Was he saying something wrong? Why was the other staring at him like that?_

It didn’t take long for Levi to revert back to his default vocabulary. Old habits die hard. He snapped at the other gruffly.

“I’m saying it doesn’t matter whether you like dick or vagina, Eren. I couldn’t care less whether you prefer to put your business in the front door or back door.”

Choking on nothing, Eren made a face at Levi’s words before letting out a dry laugh. He paused and glanced out the window one more time before looking warily back at Levi.

“It doesn’t bother you?”

Now it was Levi’s turn to make a face.

“Why the fuck would it bother me?”

Nodding slowly, the assistant rested his chin in his hand, visibly more relaxed already. The mood in the car was awkward still but it was at a level of mutual understanding.

“How did you know you were gay?”

Speaking up in a soft tone, Levi kept his eyes on the road, not wanting to pressure or intimidate his assistant by staring him down. A brief silence followed. His assistant was probably not expecting to get asked anything and was scrambling for words.

“..Honestly, at first I thought I was just not built for relationships and that kind of crap as a kid. All the other guys would talk about girls and their experiences while I occupied myself with other things in life like exploring and traveling. After a while, I realized the types of feelings other dudes would talk about when they looked at women was the same way I felt when I started noticing certain guys..”

Levi silently listened as Eren paused before continuing.

“..I decided to try it out, you know? So I dated this guy in highschool but we were both closeted. I eventually wanted to come out. I think you can already tell but I’m not the type of person to really shy away from things or be discreet.”

Laughing at himself, Eren’s look became distant as his lips formed a sad smile at the thought.

“Well, that didn’t sit well for my ex. He hammered it into my head that being gay..well it was something to be ashamed about. That you should _never_ , under any circumstances, come out. If I did then he’d break up with me. The relationship in itself wasn’t really too good either. I found out near the end that he only decided to date me because, in his words, ‘guys put out faster and they were easier to get in bed than girls.’ Honestly, none of my relationships have been good. I guess I was nothing but a temporary fix for them.”

Eren spoke up more quietly, the statement likely intended to only be for Eren. But Levi heard it loud enough.

"I wish I was more than a temporary fix.."

Eren’s boss took in the information. Levi didn’t realize that Eren’s experiences were like that. He honestly felt a little bad. It must have been hard enough to be gay. Levi responded with a crappy observation.

“Based on your experiences, it sounds like our views on love should be switched around.”

Eren could only snort in amusement before turning away from the window. Looking at Levi with a half assed smile, he shrugged.

“Maybe, but I still have some fight in me. I’m sure the right guy will come along.”

Levi quietly hoped so for Eren too. The corners of Eren’s eyes crinkled as a charming laugh escaped his lips.

“Maybe I’ll get my own romance movie scene...just like I’m sure you’ll get yours.”

Levi scoffed in amusement. Of course, Eren was throwing in assurances when he was the one who was hurting yet again.

Ocean green eyes looked back at him as they twinkled with content.

“..Thank you, Levi.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know..I guess listening to me.”

Levi could only shake his head.

“No need to thank me. I asked because I wanted to.”

Pausing, Eren decided to speak up.

“...I’m sure if you have a partner, she’d be absolutely stunning.”

Levi couldn’t help but scoff at Eren’s claim.

“What the fuck makes you say that?”

Making a right turn off the freeway, Levi spoke up again.

“Yes, I may be successful but even I know my temper and personality aren’t universally liked. I’m sure you’ve noticed but I’m a short and grumpy old guy. Smaller than your average male too.”

Eren could only grin before responding with an optimistic attitude.

“Yeah okay, you’re like five feet but you have big dick energy.”

Now Levi couldn’t help but snort at what his assistant just said.

“Oi, it’s 5’3. But what the fuck is big dick energy?”

Grinning, Eren laughed at the way his boss’ face twisted in confusion and began explaining.

“It’s kinda a younger people term. It means that you give off the vibes or energy of someone who has a big dick. Like you have a sense of coolness to you that people are attracted to and respect.”

“And that somehow leads to the belief that my dick is big?”

“Yep.”

Levi paused before speaking up casually.

“...for my size, I guess they’re not wrong.”

Eren could only gawk at him again before cackling and crinkling his nose.

“ _L_ _evi_..!”

“What?”

“Ack, too much information..! I _so_ didn’t need to know that.”

Levi’s mouth broke out into a small smirk at his assistant’s reaction.

“I’m just being honest here.”

Levi watched from the corner of his eye as Eren pursed his lips and continued scrunching his nose with a laugh. The action reminded him of a bunny. Bunnies were cute.

Glancing at the time on the dashboard, Levi realized the minutes flew by and that they were almost at the warehouse. He was surprised to say the least. After all, he was expecting the ride to be aggravatingly long and hellish. Ever since Erwin decided to stick his nose where it didn’t belong, the blond’s claims stubbornly remained in Levi’s head. At first he suspected that Erwin only was under the assumption because Hanji had possibly opened her big mouth about his previous situation with Eren despite her ensuring she wouldn’t. After grilling the woman for an hour, he realized Hanji had kept her mouth shut which meant that Erwin was able to arrive at such a conclusion without the information regarding his assistant’s wardrobe mishap. Of course, this was only worse as it left the male in an internal frenzy over Erwin’s accusations. He never realized he gave Eren special treatment or that it looked like he favored him. Of course he interacted with Eren the most out of his team as the male was his assistant but he couldn’t understand why it would lead Erwin to ask him if there was something more. It was obvious his friend was not saying everything. He badgered Erwin about it again later but the other always shook him off.

So Levi did the next best thing he could to run back into a false pretense of comfort. He distanced himself from Eren. Although Eren could be seen as oblivious or odd in some lights, he was still a bright kid. It didn’t take long for his assistant to catch on. Still, Levi proceeded to keep away. With Eren, he enjoyed the other’s company but it would be bad if their interactions were perceived as something more. Especially with Petra in the picture. Not to mention the weird way he would feel whenever the other got fired up or laughed or got angry. It was like watching a flame that refused to die out. Everytime Eren’s eyes lit up like lights on Christmas Eve, a constriction in Levi’s chest would occur. When his assistant laughed, a warm feeling pooled in his gut. Levi chalked it up to reminiscence of possessing that level of spirit when he was younger himself. Still, the answer he came up with still felt off. But it was the most accurate one he knew. Being forced to spend time with the brat again reminded him of how much he was used to the other’s company in the first place. He didn’t even realize he missed their interactions the tiniest bit until it came back into his life.

Suddenly, the voice command went off, announcing their arrival as Levi slowly came to a stop. Checking the address once more, Eren confirmed they were in the right place before they got out of the car. He watched as the other yawned loudly and stretched. Scoffing, Levi lightly smacked the back of Eren’s neck with the papers in his hand.

“Ow- hey…!”

“You act like you woke up from a century long slumber, sleeping beauty.”

Running his back with a pout, Eren thought for a second before responding back with a smile.

“That’s not a bad idea. Maybe my Prince Charming would come if I fell into a slumber.”

Levi scoffed before walking ahead.

“I’ll be sure to chase away your beloved prince if you try sleeping on the job. Now let’s get our asses moving.”

“Alright, alright!”

Slightly groaning, Eren quickly followed after Levi into the warehouse entrance.

——-

The pickup of the shipments didn’t take long to start. All it took was a sharp look from Levi and the warehouse men were scurrying off with their tail between their legs to grab the right shipment. Eren held back a laugh as the people at the warehouse were desperate to not trigger his boss. He remembered being like that as well in the beginning. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t careful anymore but scared wasn’t the right word when it came to his boss. With the help of both Eren and Levi, getting the boxes wouldn’t take as long in comparison to if it was the assistant alone. Eren wasn’t all that surprised to find that Levi was carrying the same amount he was if not more. He definitely looked like he worked out but it was impressive for someone who was almost a foot shorter than Eren to be able to easily handle the same amount of weight

As they began picking up the crates and placing them into the trunk, both parties were silent as they walked back and forth. Levi had taken off his outer jacket, rolled up his sleeves and loosened his tie before beginning the manual labor, earning a look from his assistant. Maybe Eren thought it was weird which was why he was staring earlier. It wouldn’t stop Levi from taking off his outer layers however. There was no way in hell he was going to accidentally rip or dirty his jacket from crates. The air between them had become less tense and even comfortable to say the least. The car ride over was surprisingly enjoyable to the point where Levi was surprised himself...which was why his assistant probably had the guts to even bring up the issue from morning.

“Hey..Levi.”

The brat was still embarrassed using his first name. Funny.

“Yes, Eren?”

“Well, it seems like everything’s okay but uh..about this morning.”

“What about it?”

Eren huffed at his superior’s answer, tossing him a look before deciding to continue anyways as he picked up another box.

“Why have you been avoiding me?”

Levi picked up a crate himself, unsure of how to respond. He glanced at his assistant who was refusing to look in his direction but already seemed like he was sweating bullets.

“..I..wasn’t.”

Replying stiffly, Levi placed the box down in the trunk as his assistant scoffed.

“Okay, I know you’re my boss but I’m not going to pretend like you totally didn’t lie just now.”

Levi frowned and turned around to face Eren before crossing his arms and leaning against his Bugatti. He thought about producing another half assed excuse until he looked up and his eyes met his assistant’s. Bright emerald orbs silently pleaded him to the point where Levi felt overwhelmed. He sighed before running a hand over his face, his frown deepening.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Eren. Yes, I have.”

“Oh..”

Levi could practically see the imaginary dog ears on Eren go down as his face slightly fell at the response. His assistant looked like a kicked puppy which made even him feel bad for saying so. Levi sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose and speaking up again.

“I did. But I don’t intend on doing so now. I was just..unsure of how to interact with you once I noticed we were getting the slightest bit closer. You’re just a wild card sometimes, Eren. I know you look up to me but getting to know me might shatter any illusions or praise you have.”

Levi looked back up at Eren who seemed to be thinking about his response. Finally, meeting his boss’ eyes again, the assistant walked over and set the last box down before dusting off his hands. He leaned against the Bugatti next to Levi, silently looking out at the sky as well before speaking up slowly.

“..I don’t think I’d want you to hangout with me if you feel like you have to be calculative or think about everything all the time. I get that I’m still a teenager but I'm an adult. I honestly enjoy the brief interactions we have, Levi.”

Eren turned and looked at his boss. Then he smiled, the corners of his mouth pulling back to reveal a blindingly white set of teeth that contrasted beautifully against his caramel skin. Letting out a light laugh, Eren began messing with a strand of his hair. Levi noticed Eren tended to do that when he was overwhelmed or unsure. However, Eren’s voice seemed like he was sure of himself and sounded genuine.

“I don’t want you to have to think at all when you talk to me. Well, at least not in a sense where you feel like you need to maintain some type of image or reputation. I’d like to hangout with the Levi who’s just a grumpy, potty mouthed guy. I look up to you for your skills and talent. Not cause of stuff like your Bugatti or fancy suits. I mean, sure, they look cool and badass-don’t get me wrong- but I _really_ couldn’t care less about those things. After all, they wouldn’t matter when I need somebody to discuss the concept of soulmates or jam out to my favorite songs with. And doing those things with you is..kinda fun honestly. So..yeah. I would like it if we even became friends.”

Levi looked over at Eren who didn’t turn away this time. He honestly was a bit taken aback at how sincere the other was. His response was even admirable and it made Levi feel warm about it. He wasn’t used to people saying they didn’t care about the materialistic things he possessed or his image and he certainly wasn’t expecting to hear it from his assistant of all people.

The words made him feel a lot more...free. It felt nice being free.

Turning back to look at the sunset, Levi watched the sky turn into crimson as an orange glow settled on their faces, producing sharp warped shadows against the concrete. The pair wistfully looked ahead at the sight as Levi absorbed the breathtaking scenery and Eren’s words. For once, his thoughts weren’t clouded by work or business matters. Just the moment he was currently living. Levi finally spoke up in a low but warm tone.

‘..Even with the shit jokes?”

Eren let out an airy laugh as flecks of crimson danced in his ocean eyes.

“Even with the shit jokes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some readers were a bit sad due to the angst in the previous chapters but it's okay because now I presented some fluff to you. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 11 and I can't wait to post again next Saturday. :)


	12. Din(n)er Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers, it is once again time for the weekly update of Bottoms Up!  
> Here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. :)

**Chapter 12**

_Eren’s POV_

“Aghh shoot, it’s already eight!”

Groaning as he looked at his watch, Eren reclined his chair before dramatically falling back onto it. Levi remained silent as he glanced at his assistant’s display while driving. After staring at the sunset for another half hour in silence, they both simultaneously decided it was time to quickly deliver the shipments to the clientele. The sun winked at them one last time before dipping below the surface. Now it was night time and their rush to send in the shipments had thankfully succeeded, leaving them tired and ready to call it a day.

Since that night at Utgard, Eren decided it was best to give up on Levi. Yes, he still felt his heart swell at the sight of the other but it couldn’t be helped. He knew his affections wouldn’t do away so simply, especially as Eren found himself looking to his left instead of ahead at the sunset earlier. The way Levi’s hair gently caressed forward by the warm wind...how his sharp but delicate features were outlined by the rosy sun..or how the corner of his lips tugged down at their corners to make that small cute frown. Eren’s eyes softened with the view he chose to stare at instead. To Eren, Levi was absolutely gorgeous in his own way.

But he wasn’t one to indulge in a losing game.

Seeing Petra and hearing her words were a good enough reminder for him that his affections were fruitless. Even if she weren’t in the picture, Levi probably wouldn’t spare his assistant a glance in comparison to all the other contenders ready to pounce on the man in a blink of an eye.

Sometimes Eren would stare at himself in the mirror, whether it was after he showered or simply from his reflection as he passed by glass windows. It wasn’t like he was particularly unhappy with his body or his identity. But sometimes, he wished he was a tad shorter or a bit prettier. Someone able to confidently go for a guy like Levi and not be blinked at twice for it by anybody else. It didn’t mean that he couldn’t be friends with his boss however. The conversation they had minutes ago technically made them friends now...right? Maybe it was the remorse of giving up that had given Eren the ability to harbor more confidence. Enough to speak up to Levi. It was still a funny concept to grasp, being considered “friends” with Levi. But it still sounded nice. Being around the other was good enough for him.

“..Are you hungry?”

Levi’s voice came out so soft that Eren thought he imagined it for a moment.

“Oh- no, I’m oka-”

As the assistant opened his mouth to deny the slight gnawing at the bottom of his stomach, a growl erupted from it. An embarrassed flush spread across his cheeks as Levi raised a brow and looked at him out of the corner of his eye. His boss was clearly judging him and pursed his lips at Eren’s poor white lie.

“...don’t lie to me again, brat.”

“Okay..sorry..”

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, Eren laughed awkwardly. Levi spoke up again, questioning the other as he briefly stopped at a red streetlight.

“Where do you want to eat?”

“Huh?”

“Are you deaf? I said ‘Where do you want to eat’ ?”

“Oh- Uhh..”

Swallowing thickly, Eren played with the ends of his hair as he asked with uncertainty.

“..Are we going to dinner?”

Levi rolled his eyes before making a right sharp turn onto the freeway ramp, causing Eren to clutch a handful of his leather seat tightly.

“No, I’m just asking you for fun, idiot.”

Eren’s boss sped up before scoffing. He didn’t skip a beat in explaining in case Eren really was that thick-headed.

“Obviously we’re getting something to eat. Unless, you weren’t being serious about hanging out? I _can_ just drive straight back and drop you off. But if I were you, I’d take the chance to be treated to a free dinner.”

“Wait no- I did mean it! I just didn’t expect for you to be the one asking to hangout.”

Eren laughed nervously before turning to Levi with a grin.

“Dinner sounds good.”

“Good, because I’m fucking starving myself. Now where do you want to eat? Money isn’t an issue obviously so have at it.”

The question sent Eren into deep thought as he paused. There was Japanese, Italian, French...a five star restaurant was bound to be on the way home. Many high-quality options were available for Eren to choose from. Levi took this into account, not worried about blowing a few hundred bucks. After thinking hard for a while, the assistant knew what he wanted. Eren then perked up before smiling.

“Can we go to a diner?”

 _..The fuck?_ The request caused Levi to almost brake on the highway as he turned and briefly gave Eren a weirded out look.

“I just told you that you could choose _any_ fucking restaurant. Even Michelin Star if you were feeling bold- and you want to go to some shitty family diner?”

Levi spat out the last words like they were garbage, baffled by the other’s suggestion. Meanwhile, Eren simply looked back at Levi obliviously, blinking owlishly before replying unfazed.

“Yeah?”

Levi looked back ahead, scoffing in disbelief.

“You’re a weird one, Jaeger.”

Frowning at Levi’s statement, Eren crossed his arms, firmly holding out on his choice like a stubborn child.

“I still choose the diner.”

“You’ve got to be joking..”

“Well, I’m _not._ I choose a diner. D-I-N-E-R.”

“Eren, you must be out of your damn mind if you think I’m going to some dirty dine-"

\-----

_Levi’s POV_

Levi had a dark look on his face as he frowned in the car, glaring straight ahead out the tinted car window. Eren, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear as they sat in the car. In front of a diner. The pair found one, much to Levi’s dismay, about three quarters of the way back to their workplace. Coming to a stop, the signature glowing sign ([ X ](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/240697-171636649558867-4485444-o-1501789954.jpg) ) blinked back at them as Levi stared back at it, visibly dreading Eren’s choice. _How in the hell did Eren even convince him to drive here?_

His assistant, on the other hand, didn’t waste time and unbuckled himself before hopping out the car. Shutting the door and bending over, he smiled at Levi through the car window before motioning for him to get out. Levi rolled his eyes before eventually leaving the driver’s seat. Eren watched as his boss stuffed his hand in his pocket, and stood in the parking lot. Levi glared back at the restaurant as if it were offensive propaganda. Unfazed by Levi’s version of a tantrum, Eren snickered before walking past him and towards the entrance. Opening the door, he raised an eyebrow at Levi as he held it open. His boss simply stared long and hard at him from a distance like a hissy cat. The assistant still held his ground. He then motioned for the other to come over. Levi silently huffed before eventually deciding to comply. Taking his sweet time to get to Eren, he shot him one last glare before walking into the diner.

([ X ](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e3/fa/9a/e3fa9a5af2483bf7379e8a7603a344d1.jpg)) Everything about the restaurant screamed old-timey as the signature cherry red and black seats attacked Levi’s eyes in combination with the multiple glowing neon signs. Staring down at the checker floor quizzically, the short male pursed his lips as he looked back up at Eren who was now standing next to him with an amused grin. Levi scoffed before turning away. 

“Have you never seen a diner before?”

Eren asked Levi as his boss crossed his arms.

“I have. In a TV show. I was never intending to step foot into one in my lifetime.”

The taller male laughed.

“Well, you _did_ say wherever I wanted.”

Eren leaned in before speaking up slyly.

“I bet you were expecting me to choose some fancy french restaurant, huh?”

Levi could only stare back at him coldly before a chipper voice interrupted their interaction.

“Good evening, gentleman! Just the two of you?”

A short female with black hair tied into a pair of low placed ponytails smiled sweetly at them. Eren smiled back and nodded.

“Yep. This guy here has never been to a diner so I thought I’d give him the chance.”

The waitress turned to Levi, flashing him a grin before placing her hands on her hips.

“Well, there’s always a chance to go to one! Glad you decided to choose our diner. My name is Mina and I’ll be your waitress tonight! Right this way, men.”

Leading the two to a table, Levi slowly sat down as Eren plopped into his seat. Grabbing their menus from Mina, the female walked off to give them time to order as Levi clutched the menu awkwardly in one hand, still looking around with a combination of fascination and distaste.

“Do you usually eat at places like this?”

Eren looked up from the menu, pausing at the question. The assistant seemed to have a reminiscent look on his face before he smiled sadly.

“My mom used to take me to these places as a kid. I haven’t stepped foot into one since she passed...”

Flipping a page of the menu, Eren hummed softly, giving his boss a small reassuring smile.

“...but today I guess I just felt like it.”

Levi could only slowly nod at the other’s response. For some reason, he felt content that he was able to keep the other company now, even in a place like this. Levi proceeded to look down at the menu before pursing his lips. He wasn’t surprised to find that all of the things on the menu were meals he hadn’t eaten since he was a kid. That is, when he managed to get food.

A couple minutes passed before Levi felt a tug on his shirt. Peeling his eyes away from the menu, silver irises stared down blankly at a grubby little hand that belonged to a little girl. The child couldn’t have been more than ten years old. She seemed to depend on the older man’s fabric to keep herself balanced upright. The child blinked up at him innocently as he stared back, frozen.

Thankfully, Eren seemed to have picked up on his internal panic and spoke up.

“Hello. I'm Eren and that's Levi. What’s your name?”

“...Ymir..”

Levi raised an eyebrow. Wasn’t that the same name as the girl from Erwin’s department? Small world.

“Where are your parents, Ymir?”

Eren asked the child as he smiled at her. The assistant’s joy was contagious as the girl eventually smiled back.

“..I don’t know.”

Levi shot Eren a look of concern at the kid’s answer but his assistant didn’t seem panicked over it.

“Do you want to sit with us until they come back, Ymir?”

“Mmm..okay..”

Ymir then made her way around the table, deciding to sit in the chair next to Eren. Levi scoffed as the little girl struggled to pull out the chair. Before his assistant could lift a finger, Levi kicked out his foot, pushing against the chair leg and shoving the chair out for Ymir. Eren cast him an amused smile from the action as Levi ignored it, choosing to occupy himself with the menu instead.

Mina then came back to the table, noticing the third party as her eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh-! I didn’t realize there was a third person with us this evening!”

Before anybody could reply, Ymir stared at the waitress with big eyes and replied herself.

“I was in the bathroom.”

“Well, when duty calls, am I right?”

Laughing lightheartedly, the female whipped out her notepad.

“Alright, what can I get for dad #1 and dad #2 tonight?”

Eren’s mouth parted as he froze at the statement, a flush spreading across his face as he stuttered. Levi could only shake his head in amusement at the waitress’ assumption.

“I’ll just get a black coffee.”

His assistant then whipped back forward to gawk at Levi for not correcting her. The older male simply paid it no attention. It wasn’t a big deal and it wasn’t like they were planning to come back to this diner anytime soon. Motioning for the other to just ignore it, Eren then frowned before speaking up himself.

“Uh- I’ll just get a hamburger with fries.”

Glancing back at Levi, he frowned, briefly thinking, before speaking up again.

“Actually, can you make that two burgers?”

Levi shot him a look before growling.

“Oi- I’m fine-”

“Come on, Levi. You said you were starving. Don’t be picky now.”

Levi was taken aback by the other’s scolding but decided to remain silent nevertheless. Frowning as he crossed his arms, Ymir giggled at him from across the table as Mina laughed as well.

“Do you want anything, kid?”

Levi was staring at Ymir before she flushed and looked down, fidgeting in her seat. Eren leaned in to the child and smiled.

“We can get you something sweet if you like..ice cream maybe?”

The little girl’s eyes lit up at the mention of dessert and she furiously nodded. Turning to Mina, Ymir balled up her fists before exclaiming.

“Chocolate please!”

The waitress nodded back and snapped her notepad shut before winking at them.

“Alrighty, one chocolate ice cream, two hamburgers, a side of fries, a coffee and some water! Coming right up, guys!”

Levi nodded slightly as Mina walked away before turning back to Eren who was looking at him with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry about ordering extra. I can pay for tonight honestly. I know this isn’t your first choice when it comes to eating out.”

Staring back at Eren, Levi clicked his tongue before looking off to the side, observing some of the other customers. All who appeared to be families. With Ymir, it did look like the three of them were also one as well. He didn’t blame Mina for the assumption.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jaeger. All of our food combined would probably cost the same as an appetizer at one of my usual restaurants. I’m your boss too. I’ll be paying.”

Eren seemed hesitant about the idea but slowly nodded nonetheless before turning to look at Ymir.

“Ymir, do you know if your parents said anything to you or where you last saw them?”

The little girl frowned as her face scrunched up in thought.

“Mmm..my mom said that she had to go do adult things so I have to wait here.”

Eren tossed Levi a look of concern as the shorter male frowned. Reaching out to pat Ymir on the head, Eren smiled warmly before speaking up in an endearing tone.

“Alright, that’s good to know..I’m sure she’ll be back soon. If not then I don’t mind waiting with you.”

It didn’t take long for Mina to bring out Ymir’s ice cream first. Placing two bowls of chocolate ice cream down along with the drinks, Eren looked back up to her and opened his mouth to correct the order. Before he could, she cut him off with a shake of her head and smiled.

“It’s on the house. I’m sure you two fathers can indulge in a little sugar in your lives!”

Leaving Eren speechless again, Mina laughed before walking off. The assistant’s face was red once again as he snatched a spoon and muttered.

“You know, we probably should correct her.”

Levi paused in thought for a moment before shrugging.

“It got us free ice cream so I think we can tough it through for the night.”

“Ha ha very funny.”

Eren replied sarcastically with a frown as his face flushed darker, trailing off. 

“What are you saying..”

Jabbing his spoon into the ice cream, Eren shoved the spoonful into the side of his mouth, making himself look like a chipmunk. Levi snorted at the sight as his assistant turned back to look at him. Eren’s lost frown deepened at the reaction.

“What??”

“Nothing. You just look silly.”

The assistant rolled his eyes as he looked over at Ymir who had chocolate all over his face. She was in bliss as she took another heaping scoop to her ice cream covered mouth. Raising an eyebrow at Levi, a laugh escaped from Eren.

“ _I’m_ the one who looks silly? Come here, Ymir..”

Turning to Ymir as she perked up at her name, Eren pulled a couple napkins from the napkin holder before wiping her face. The scene made Levi feel a bit fond as he sipped his coffee and spoke up.

“You’re good with kids.”

Eren looked up blankly from Ymir’s face at Levi, taken aback slightly by the compliment. A small smile tugged at his lips and his brows furrowed.

“Yeah? I think you are too.”

Levi scoffed.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You got Ymir ice cream and she’s happy as can be.”

Ymir then turned to look at Levi as well before beaming.

“Thank you, Levi!”

Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the two pairs of big eyes ogling him, Levi felt his cheeks heat up the slightest bit before looking away and taking another sip of his coffee.

“...You’re welcome.”

Eren and Ymir giggled at the other’s awkwardness before going back to their ice cream. Scooping another spoonful of dessert, Eren swung it around before holding it out to Levi with a laugh and began joking.

“Does _Dad #2_ want some of the free ice cream we scored?”

Levi narrowed his eyes at Eren over the rim of his coffee cup as his assistant looked too amused. A little too cocky if you asked Levi.

Slowly setting down his cup, Levi leaned forward from his chair before snatching the other’s wrist and earning a surprised jolt from Eren. Leaning forward, Levi scoffed before jerking Eren’s hand to his mouth and enclosing his lips around the spoonful, making Eren hand feed him.

Steel grey eyes stared at shocked green ones before Levi pulled away and retorted.

“I’m Dad #1.”

Levi felt humored by Eren’s stunned state as his assistant was bright red, clutching the spoon tightly and gawking at his boss like a deer in headlights. Quickly regaining composure, Eren scoffed to himself before pulling back his hand and looking away. His face was a strawberry at this point.

“Whatever..”

Muttering a lame dismissal, Eren begrudgingly dug his spoon into the ice cream again before taking another bite of his own while Levi’s spoon remained untouched and resting on the paper napkin.

Okay. Levi did get a kick out of messing with Eren. Not that he’d admit it. Knowing he had the capability of making his assistant scrambling for words and red in the face with that annoyed look was a bit of a power trip and endearing. As they all peacefully enjoyed their own versions of dessert before their meals, a voice exclaimed from the side.

“Ymir..! There you are, sweetie!”

Eren’s head whipped to the side and Levi simply glanced over as a tall blonde woman in business attire called out to the child. Ymir’s eyes lit up as she scrambled out of her seat, leaving an empty ice cream bowl at the table.

“Mommy!!”

“What did I say about running off? I told you to wait in the booth by the corner!”

“I just got bored..”

Mumbling with puffed up cheeks, Ymir huffed before turning around and looking back at Eren and Levi. Her mother followed suit and looked over at the pair, noticing the empty bowl and her daughter’s chocolate covered face. Smiling tiredly, she laughed nervously.

“I apologize for my daughter’s intrusion. I can pay for the ice cream, it’s no trouble at all-”

“Don’t sweat it. It’s probably dirt cheap.”

Muttering roughly, Levi drank his tea before as he waved the two off.

“Your daughter was good company. Have a nice evening.”

The mother looked surprised before her lips curved into a small smile.

“Thank you! You too.”

As the mother grabbed Ymir’s hand, Ymir looked at them once more and waved furiously as she was pulled away. Eren grinned at the gesture and waved just as energetically back as Levi simply nodded at her.

“That was interesting while it lasted.”

Muttering from behind his cup, Levi finished the last of his drink before a random waitress immediately came by to refill the cup.

“What was interesting?”

Asking quizzically, Eren had a confused look on his face. Levi clicked his tongue.

“Playing family. It’ll probably be good practice for me in the future.”

“Ah..”

Levi’s assistant briskly replied as he looked off towards the kitchen with an unreadable expression on his face. As if on cue, Mina burst through the doors before placing the burgers and platter of fries down.

“Alright, guys! Here we have your orders and oh- Where did your little girl go?”

Looking at the empty chair, Mina’s brows knitted in confusion as Levi waved off the question.

“Her mother came and picked her up.”

“Oh, I see..well I won’t pry too much into your business now! I hope you two enjoy your meal!”

As Mina walked off, Levi closed his eyes in silent satisfaction at the feeling of a fresh hot cup of coffee seared its way down his throat. Eren looked down at the burger like it was a winning lottery ticket, mouth practically watering. Grabbing the burger and taking a huge bite, Eren sighed in satisfaction as Levi stared at him in disgust.

“Oi, Eren. Close your mouth while you’re chewing.”

Looking up from the burger at his boss, Eren rolled his eyes before grabbing a handful of fries and swallowing his bite.

“Yes, _dad._ ”

Clicking his tongue at Eren’s sarcasm, Levi leaned over and flicked Eren in the nose before looking down at his own plate.

“Ow..! That hurt!”

Whining as he rubbed his nose, Eren didn’t spend too much time dwelling on it before going back to hounding on his burger. Glancing up at Levi, the assistant noticed his boss having a staring contest with his meal. He raised an eyebrow midchew and swallowed his bite before speaking up.

“Have you never had a burger before?”

Looking up from his plate, Levi paused before looking over at his utensils.

“..not in a while.”

Before Levi could grab his fork and knife, the cutlery was yanked away from his outstretched hand. Levi’s head whipped up as he glared at the culprit holding his utensils.

“..Eren, what the hell are you doing?”

“There is no way you’re going to eat a burger with a fork and knife. That just goes against all laws of nature.”

Shaking his ketchup covered finger, Levi watched with disdain as Eren noticed the mess and proceeded to lick it off. Narrowing his eyes at Eren, he contemplated getting off his ass and snatching it from the assistant. Unfortunately, Eren just _had_ to know him too damn well because as soon as Levi was about to lean forward, his assistant opened his hand, letting the utensils fall on the floor.

“..oops.”

Eren exclaimed in a tone that was anything but remorseful. Levi growled.

“The fuck is wrong with _not_ eating with your hands like a barbarian?”

“Everything if it’s a burger you’re choosing to eat.”

Levi gritted his teeth before looking back down at the burger. While he wasn't fond of getting messy, he wasn’t going to starve over it. Grimacing, he grabbed the burger with his bare hands before shooting Eren one last icy glare. His assistant seemed unfazed and even pleased however. Shaking his head, Levi paused before taking the smallest bite.

...it wasn’t that bad he guessed.

“See? You like it, don’t you?”

Grinning widely, Eren had a knowing look on his face as Levi rolled his eyes.

“It’s still horse shit compared to what I usually eat. But it’s not that bad.”

“Didn’t know Jean was the chef here.”

Eren replied cheekily as Levi scoffed at him.

“You’re starting to get real bold, brat.”

“Well, it’s fine since we're friends.”

Replying amusedly, Eren stuffed the last of his burger into his mouth before wiping his hands off. Levi quietly ate as the other moved onto the fries, grabbing them by the handful. He felt like he was watching a starved beast eating in the wild with the way his assistant was tackling the food. Taking another slow bite from his burger, Levi cringed as he felt the sauce leak down his fingers.

“Do you not eat at home? You’re chewing on those fries like it's the last supper.”

Eren shrugged as he chucked another fry into his mouth.

“I’m a growing guy. I need my fill.”

Levi dryly snorted into his coffee cup.

“You’re nineteen. I think puberty hit you a long time ago.”

Ignoring the other’s remark, Eren stared at the fry in his hand before holding it out to Levi again.

“Please tell me you’ve at least eaten fries recently.”

Making a face at the fry, Levi looked back up at Eren with narrowed eyes.

“..why would i go out of my way to eat this shit?”

“Oh my god, that’s so sad, Levi.”

“I can name a hundred other sadder things.”

“Or you could just not do that and eat a fry to get rid of one less tragic aspect of your life.”

Shaking the fry in his boss’ face, Eren wasn’t intending on backing down. Levi rolled his eyes yet again before leaning in and biting the fry. Chewing slowly, he glanced over at Eren who shook his head at the remaining half of the fry still in his hand before chucking it in his own mouth.

Levi felt a bit weird sharing food with his assistant if anybody for that matter but here he was, not feeling bothered or unpleasant about it.

“..I just bit that piece and you ate it. Aren’t you grossed out?”

“Uhh no? Should I be? Not everybody is a clean freak, Levi.”

“Then why do you wipe down everything so much at the office?”

“Cause that’s how _you_ like the place.”

Taken slightly aback, Levi felt a bit dumb as he realized why his assistant’s cleaning was second to his own at work. He just thought Eren was perhaps invested into it like he was. But looking at the way he ate...that didn’t seem to be the case at all.

“...I see.”

It was a while since Levi felt this comfortable around somebody who wasn’t a long time friend of his like Erwin or Hanji. Even in a location that was definitely not normal for him to be in. He felt oddly content, sharing a meal with his assistant.

As soon as Eren finished the fries, he wiped his hands again before calling over Mina. Before Levi could open his mouth, Mina handed his assistant the check to which he quickly scribbled on the receipt. Eren even had his card ready to hand to her. Levi frowned before growling at his assistant after Mina walked off.

“Do you have ears, Eren? I said I would pay.”

His assistant simply shook his head before taking a gulp of his water and standing up.

“I do have ears and I decided to pay anyway. In exchange for the gas you have to cover driving out here.”

Mina came back with a grin as she handed Eren back the check with the card.

“Thank you for the tip! Hope to see you men again!”

“Thank you for the meal and ice cream. Have a nice night!”

“You too!”

Levi had stood up by then, arms crossed as he remained staring angrily at his assistant. Eren simply stared back with a crooked smile.

“What? You know, the normal thing to do is say thank you. Not staring at me as if I’m holding you hostage.”

“..I’m paying for the next meal.”

Stating as he walked towards the restroom, Eren shrugged as he waited for his boss.

\-----

“Hey, Levi.”

“Yes Eren?”

“What do you think about the ocean?”

Levi paused before replying.

“I like it.”

“Really?”

Eren turned to face him in the work parking lot, the ocean staring right back at Levi in that moment. Gunmetal orbs flickered as they swam in Eren’s. Hues of striking green and soft hints of turquoise swam in those irises. Eren had vibrant, beautiful eyes that held the seven seas in them.

“Yeah, I like the ocean. They’re really nice.”

“ _They’re_?”

As Eren looked at Levi with a confused expression, Levi realized what he said. _Shit._ He clenched his jaw and turned away, coming up with an excuse swiftly.

“...There’s multiple oceans.”

The assistant’s confused look went away as it was replaced with realization and a strained smile.

“Oh..yeah, I guess you’re right technically.”

Laughing awkwardly, Eren rubbed the back of his head before looking out the front window again, turquoise eyes tearing away. They had just parked, the only neighboring car in the work parking lot being Eren’s now. Levi glanced over at the simple silver toyota before looking at the time on the dashboard. It was already eleven at night and he felt exhausted but in a refreshing way. It wasn’t everyday that Levi got to leave his office to do tasks, even if this instance was a result of an idiot’s misdirection. It was unspoken between the two that it was the end of the day already but Eren decided to strike up one last conversation that Levi chose to participate in instead of kicking his assistant out.

For whatever reason, it was about the ocean.

Levi looked back at his assistant who was now looking out the window at nothing in particular. Eren’s tied up hair was a mess, as usual, by the end of the day from all the nervous tugging and toying Eren did with it throughout the hours, even after tying it back up again.

The younger male then spoke up softly as he continued staring out at the sky.

“..Did you get to be yourself today?”

Levi was a bit taken aback at the question, pausing briefly. He wasn’t used to questions that were about emotions and not straight down to business. Everytime Eren uttered anything, it left him thinking differently. Being Levi, a sarcastic response was given.

“It’s not Halloween just yet. I’m myself last time I checked.”

Turning to face Levi, Eren cast a small smile at him before grabbing his bag from the car floor and looking at the other one last time with emerald eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Let’s go to the ocean sometime, Levi.”

“Which one?”

Eren laughed at his boss’ smartass question before replying quickly. As if the answer was second nature to say.

“Paradis Beach. The beach there is really nice, especially by the foot of the pier. I go there sometimes when I need to cool off or take a break from life. My mom used to take me to the area for long walks and funnel cake.”

Looking off into the distance in reminiscence, Eren smiled sadly. Levi was at a loss for what to say as he looked at the other. It seemed that his assistant had many heartfelt memories about his mother. Sadly, it meant that her death must have been a harder hit to Eren.

Just as Levi opened his mouth, his assistant snapped himself out of it before grabbing the door handle and dryly chuckling.

“Hah..I was just joking. You probably haven’t been to the beach in a while let alone have the time to.”

Just as Eren hastily opened that door and left the seat, a cold hand grabbed his wrist tightly. Just like the night at Utgard. Tensing up in surprise, Eren looked back at Levi to see the other had grabbed him. A deepened furrow formed between his brows as Levi spoke up softly.

“..I don’t mind.”

Eren stared blankly back at Levi before a single sound escaped his lips.

“Huh?”

“The beach. Let’s go sometime.”

“Oh- uh-”

Levi watched Eren as he flushed in surprise, looking down at the older male’s hand around his wrist. Realizing he was grasping his assistant tightly, he immediately let go and pulled his hand back.

Situating himself back in the driver’s seat, Levi gripped the steering wheel firmly, refusing to make eye contact with Eren before gruffly mumbling.

“Paradis, right? We can get all the greasy shit you want. I don’t know if I’ll be as good company as your mom. Maybe as old.”

Hearing a soft airy laugh from his right, Levi’s eyes softened as they were met with the sight of Eren laughing joyfully from his proposal. Shimmers of forest green and water blue flickered under the dim street light as they were directed at the other, staring at Levi like he was a manifestation of happiness himself. That was it. Eren smiling like that felt more right than him being sad. Levi didn’t understand how Eren laughing made his heartbeat echo loudly in his own ears but he knew he felt a small slice of happiness himself, seeing his assistant like that. Eren looked down at Levi fondly before stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“I think you’ll need a few more years to be as old as my mom..but I like the sound of that. Paradis it is. I’ll keep that promise of funnel cake in mind.”

Turning around, Eren paused before turning back and grinning at his boss.

“Goodnight, Levi. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

Levi nodded.

“Tomorrow.”

Eren cast him another smile before walking towards his own car. Levi waited for the other to get in. Watching as Eren waved before reversing and driving off, Levi then kicked his engine back on before driving off himself. The night was peacefully quiet and the older male couldn’t help but feel content even if the day was spent running around fixing somebody else’s bullshit. Oluo was definitely going to be scared shitless come the next weekday when Levi visits him and he sure was planning on it.

However, deep down, Levi couldn’t convince himself he was as pissed about Oluo’s mistake as he was before spending the day with Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was more fluff. Our two oblivious idiots are slowly warming up to each other. I hope you enjoyed it as I get worried sometimes over the quality of this story. However, I will still keep on working hard and completing this for everybody.
> 
> Thank you for 150+ kudos and 2500+ hits. I'm glad that my story is being looked at and it's enjoyable as always conversing with you guys in the comments. 👍🏻


	13. Alarm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody. It's been a week, shit. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Thank you for the 170+ kudos.
> 
> Happy Ererictober as well. As some of you ereri lovers may know, there is an Eren x Levi event going on called Ererictober. While I may not have time to make an additional piece of work, I may contribute to Ererictober through a future chapter in this story. 
> 
> Another reason is I don't want to start too many different works to have them all possibly end up incomplete and unfinished. That sounds shitty but I have already been entertaining new prompts and ideas for my next work..
> 
> There is a good chance my next stories' themes will be more darker/perverse as you couldn't get any more tame really than this story haha. It's vanilla in comparison to some of the things other writers make but sometimes an old classic AU or tame cliche is nice to read.

**Chapter 13**

_Levi’s POV_

“Ahh SHIT!”

Hearing a familiar voice yelling, Levi raised an eyebrow at his assistant. Eren was fiddling with his phone, tongue sticking out as his brows knitted in concentration. It was a Friday afternoon and Levi’s assistant decided to make himself comfy in the office during lunch again. Usually, Levi would remain in his office alone and rarely even eat during the break, resigning himself to working through lunchtime instead. Erwin and Petra would sigh whenever they dropped by, insisting for Levi to drop the papers and grab a bite to eat for once and that extra work wasn’t necessary. Hanji would occasionally try to drag him out when she wasn’t distracted by her crazy experiments but usually failed as Levi simply ignored her.

As always, he expected Eren to leave him alone too or try the same as Erwin and Hanji at first before giving up. The first half went accurately along his expectations of Eren’s reaction. Eren did grumble about how Levi needed to go out to get food or at least grab a bite with the other bosses. As usual, Levi quickly shot down the idea.

“Levi...”

“What, Eren?”

“It’s lunch break. Again.”

“So it is.”

“Come on! You know you got to eat.”

“We’ve already fucking established this. I am not in need of food right now.”

“You’re only saying that cause you’re used to starving around this time of day but it’s definitely bad for you.”

“Are you my fucking mom?”

“That’s impossible. After all, _you’re_ older than me.”

Levi shifted the papers in his hand, not bothering to even spare a glance at Eren as he scoffed at his comment.

“Right. That’s the reason. Not because you're a male with a dick.”

“ _Levi..!”_

Peering at Eren from over his papers, Levi shot him a warning look before looking back down at the fine print.

“I said no and that’s final. Now go eat with your friends.”

Levi watched as Eren huffed before marching off, earning a grunt of relief from Levi. As usual, he just needed to ignore whoever bothered to ask and a simple cold look would send them off. What he didn’t expect however, was the other to suddenly return...carrying what looked like a portable stove. Slowly setting his papers down at the weird scene unfolding before him, Levi narrowed his eyes as he frowned, watching his assistant plug in the stove and slam it on his own desk.

“...what the fuck are you doing?”

Eren had switched the stove on before looking up from it at his bewildered boss and answering.

“Making food.”

Levi’s brain began doing roller coaster loops at the other’s weirdly casual response as Eren replied in a nonchalant manner as if he didn’t just walk into their office with a stove. Levi then pinched the bridge of his nose as his right eye twitched

“Eren, why the fuck are you making food in my office.”

The question came out more like a threat as Levi’s brows knitted together in disbelief. Eren shrugged, unfazed, before waving a wooden spoon around.

“I don’t know. Maybe cause you won’t come out for food? So I’m bringing the food to you.”

_This freakin brat-_

Levi shoved the folder back into its drawer before slowly interlacing his fingers. Eren was always..unconventional. But as much as Levi was aware of that, the other still managed to surprise him everyday with new antics. Levi Was highly doubtful he would ever meet somebody like Eren. Placing his arms on the desk, narrowed slivers of silver squinted at the younger male before briskly questioning him.

“Do you even know how to cook?”

The assistant began pulling on his hair before shrugging.

“Uhhh- no? But it can’t be that hard, can it?”

Suddenly noticing a puff of grey wafting up next to Eren’s figure. Levi’s eyes widened in shock as he shot up from his seat. Eren seemed unaware of the impending threat, still staring at the other kitchen supplies next to the smoking stove. Wary grey irises flicked to Eren as his boss slowly spoke up.

“ _Eren,_ where did you get that stove?”

“From the kitchen?”

 _Jesus Christ._ Clenching his jaw, Levi spoke between gritted teeth slowly.

 _“_ Are you talking about the one that Sasha made _malfunction_ two days ago??”

“Huh..? Th-OH SHIT.”

Just as Eren turned around to witness the dark grey fumes billowing around the stove, Levi jerked his head up just in time for the fire alarm to start beeping and began cursing.

“ _Fucking hell-”_

Grabbing the remaining files and laptop on his desk, Levi shoved them into the nearest drawer with lightning fast reflexes just as the sprinklers began to turn. Eren noticed and reacted quickly, doing the same. He used his coat to cover the pile of files and computer on his desk just before the sprinklers twisted and water came pouring down. Cries of confusion outside the office could be heard as a result of the alarm noises. Levi was standing still, slowly getting drenched from head to toe. His hair was no longer cleanly styled but sopping wet as it dripped sprinkler water down his face and under his drenched suit. Levi was darkly glowering at his assistant who stood there with wide eyes, equally soaked.

“... _Eren._ ”

Snapping to attention at the low murderous growl of his name, the assistant’s lips thinned. He stared back at his boss with huge, widened eyes like cornered prey. Levi stood there, shoulders shaking out of rage as his hands were balled up into tight fists, nails stabbing into his own palms. Dark gunmetal eyes were burning a hole through the assistant as Eren was too scared to look away, absolutely petrified and stunned into a frozen state.

Levi was _definitely_ pissed. Eren was getting a taste of how it felt again to fear the wrath of Levi Ackerman. Something he hadn’t experienced since he got his boss’ tea order wrong. Holding his hands up, Eren slowly uttered his boss’ name back as the two had a staring contest in the middle of the intense downpour.

“...Levi.”

Levi was angry—wait _no—_ Levi was _furious._

Eren could practically hear the Jaws Theme Song play in the back of his head as Levi stared him down from across the room and Eren stared back. Unfortunately, Eren could confirm that his boss was scarier than any shark.

“I- sir-”

Before he could continue his stuttering, Levi immediately came from behind the desk and Eren started shrieking, extremely alarmed.

“ACK- _Levi-”_

The raven haired male almost managed to swipe Eren’s wrist with a snarl. His assistant just barely dodged.

_“LE- LEVI, WAIT-”_

As Eren’s voice pitched in fear, the two began circling around the main desk as Levi was trying to catch Eren. When Levi started walking clockwise, Eren went counter-clockwise. The scene was almost animalistic and borderline childish as Levi stared his assistant down murderously, the wooden desk being the only wall of protection the assistant had. Suddenly, Levi managed to go even faster, lightning quick reflexes initiated as he managed to make it around the desk, on Eren’s tail. Eren began running. The sprinklers were still drumming down on their office space as the he had the older male hot on his track. Eren felt like he was in a Tom & Jerry episode. Alarmed and in a frenzy, hi’s eyes were blown wide with fear as he began yelling random cuss words out while Levi got closer.

“Fuckfuckfuckfuck- WAIT.”

Holding his hands in front of him as he was gasping for air from running and constantly dodging Levi’s hands, Eren noticed the empty flower pot next to him that they never bothered to fill. Levi was right in front of Eren now, about to catch him. Grabbing the pot, Eren splashed the pot of water into Levi’s face before yelping and making a run for it across the office and towards the door with a grin. Levi was absolutely drenched as he roughly ran his fingers through his hair, slicking it back as he coughed up the water. A murderous expression was on his face as he glared at Eren scrambling across the room with a nervous grin.

“ _You little shit-”_

Sputtering with a growl, Levi started running after Eren who was now laughing with a mixture of amusement and terror. The assistant could only dodge Levi’s wrath for so long. Levi was _fast-_ like _insanely, inhumanly_ fast. _How was that even possible when Eren’s legs were twice as long??_ Grabbing Eren’s knee, Eren let out an terrified yell as Levi sent them both tumbling to the ground. At this point, Eren was probably laughing partly due to the amusement of a furious and drenched Levi but also because he was straight up terrified and didn’t know how to keep himself from straight up screaming like a little bitch. Eren was silently praying to the gods for survival from Levi’s wrath despite his non-religious background.

Levi climbed on top of him as Eren laughed and yelled, the shorter male’s knees planted on the wet floor on both sides as he straddled his assistant’s hips. Eren immediately held his arms up to cover his face for protection as Levi grabbed his wrists, trying to pull them away. The assistant couldn’t tell if the stupid grin on his face was out of delirious fear or from the fact that he was practically wrestling with his drenched boss because of his horrible attempt at cooking. Between his scared laughs, Eren began yelping pleas to Levi.

“LEVI- AHH- pleASE, LEVI-”

“ _Hell no,_ you’re paying for this you little shit-! _”_

Levi hissed back as Eren began flailing his legs from under Levi. As Eren continued yelling at the top of his lungs, the raven haired male slowly but successfully pried the other’s hands away from his face. Eren began pleading over dramatically as he realized he was fighting a losing game, making exaggerated excuses.

“ _Please, LEVI-_ I have a family- my CHILDREN-”

Snorting in disbelief, Levi began pinching Eren’s nose hard, causing the assistant’s voice to come out nasally as he continued rambling frantically.

“THINK OF THE CHILDREN-”

Eren’s ridiculous antics were too stupid and goofy, causing a small smile to break out on the corner of Levi’s mouth as he was failing to keep a serious face. He struggled to maintain a straight face in front of Eren, an amused smirk already breaking his irritated facade. Levi replied haughtily.

“News flash, _I don’t care._ ”

Shooting back as Levi went to tackle Eren again, the assistant let out another screech as he tried defending himself but it was futile.

The door to their office then swung wide open abruptly.

“I heard yelling, _what’s going on!?_ Is everybody okay!?”

In the midst of the chaos, a booming voice resonated through the office as the sprinklers finally stopped. Levi and Eren stopped yelling and playing tug of war with each other’s limbs. The two whipped their heads to the side and looked up, mid wrestle, at a shocked Erwin who busted through the door. The CEO stood at the doorway of the waterlogged room, visibly taken aback at the scene he barged in on. The room was absolutely wet as all the furniture was waterlogged while his two employees, one being Levi, were frozen in the middle of the floor, entangled in a wrestle.

An awkward silence hung over the room as Hanji peeked out from behind Erwin at the two, eyes widening herself. Her composure didn’t take long to recollect however and she started wailing in distress next to Erwin.

“You guys were having a water fight and didn’t invite me!?”

Waving her arms around as she screeched, the volume made Eren wince as the pair looked up at Erwin who was now standing over them with an eyebrow raised, questioning his friend.

“..Levi?”

Remembering he still had Eren’s wrists in his hands and was practically sitting on the other’s lower stomach, Levi silently let go before standing up slowly and crossing his arms, looking away from Erwin and Hanji. Eren, on the other hand, felt extremely embarrassed as he scrambled up off the floor himself, looking down at the ground as he apologized.

“Uh- Sorry, Mr. Smith..I didn’t realize one of the kitchen devices was malfunctioning and I-”

“We didn’t realize some shitty device Sasha broke wasn’t fixed by the company yet so a fire was set off. It’s nobody’s fault the company didn’t repair it like they were supposed to.”

Levi cut off his assistant as he looked Erwin directly in the eye, unwavering. Eren looked slightly surprised after getting cut off but more so at getting covered for as he glanced at his boss.

“Is this true?”

Questioning Eren, Erwin looked down at him with skeptical blue eyes. Eren didn’t waste a beat and nodded furiously, causing his boss to internally roll his eyes.

“Yes, sir!”

Staring hard at the two, Erwin seemed to have thoughts unsaid as he shot Levi a look, leaving an unspoken message between them. Although Erwin seemed skeptical of the situation, he hesitantly complied with Levi’s excuse in the end.

“..Alright. I’ll have the janitors come by later to..clean up this accident. Let Petra know if you need to recover any data or files. Go clean yourselves up, gentlemen.”

Speaking as he looked around the room, Erwin glanced at Levi one last time as the other stubbornly refused to meet the CEO’s eyes. At Levi’s ignoring, a small breath that resembled a laugh left Erwin’s mouth before he shook his head in disbelief and left the room, dragging a whining Hanji back out with him. Levi knew why Erwin was looking at him strangely and what he was trying to silently interrogate him about but he didn’t want to fucking bother with it. As much as it irked Levi, he was well aware Erwin had plenty of reasoning to be suspicious and questioning of his recent behavior. It was definitely out of character for Levi to be messing around in the office, let alone wrestling his dopey, emerald eyed assistant to the ground in the middle of a fire alarm. Even Erwin, the ever so calculative and composed man, was visibly shocked for a moment at the sight when barging in.

“Er..”

A small utterance came from Levi’s left as he turned to look at Eren who was now sheepish and tugging at his drenched man bun.

“..Thanks. For covering for me. I didn’t expect that.”

Mumbling with a small smile, Eren looked down at him in relief. Levi shook his head with a sigh before brushing it off.

“Don’t thank me. I wasn’t exactly lying. It was about time we replaced that damn stove anyways or tossed it out. I don’t know why we still had that piece of shit in the first place.”

Eren slowly nodded before looking around at the room and finally looking down at himself. Levi followed his gaze, looking down at Eren’s torso. White cloth stuck onto the defined set of caramel abs as they rippled from the assistant’s movements. Well, damn. Teenagers definitely had it effortless. He remembered how much easier maintaining that type of body was when he was his assistant’s age. It was still relatively easy to maintain but currently Levi had to watch his diet every now and then as well as go through the usual workout.

“Levi?”

Realizing he was staring a little longer at Eren’s body than what would be considered socially acceptable, Levi quickly teared his eyes away and looked up to meet Eren’s eyes, snapping out a quick reply.

“What?”

“Oh- I just..was asking if you had an extra set of clothes maybe.”

Pressing his lips together, Levi realized he didn’t. If they had been slightly dampened, Levi would have roughed it through and tried naturally drying off. However, their office was soaked as much as they were and the cleaners probably needed the room to be cleared out in order to clean it up anyways.

“No.”

Stating simply, Levi stared back at Eren before his assistant made a face and sighed.

“Do you think Erwin’s going to mind if we step out of the office to clean up?”

“No. Eyebrows knows I’d give him a hell of a chew out if he didn’t allow me to clean myself off.”

Grimacing as he looked down at his own state, Levi cussed upon a realization. His assistant glanced over, confused.

“Fuck. I have a friend that’s staying over right now at my house. I gave him the keys..I won’t be able to get back into my place until five.”

Grinding his teeth in annoyance, Levi cursed at his luck before looking at Eren.

“How far away is your place?”

“Wha- Err..like fifteen minutes away..”

Levi nodded before stating his next line, not even bothering to pose it as a question.

“We’re going to your place to clean up.”

Eren’s head snapped to face Levi as his mouth hung open in shock.

“What!? Why??”

Making a face at Eren’s alarmed outburst, Levi raised an eyebrow as he frowned.

“It’s more efficient and quicker to make one trip and get back as soon as possibly for work. Less gas, less time and less effort. I’d probably fit your clothes instead of the other way around anyways.”

Levi was already at the doorway before looking back at the brunette who seemed weirdly unnerved and red in the cheeks.

“...unless there’s something wrong with your place?”

Questioning Eren in a slow, skeptical tone, the brunette quickly looked over at Levi before shaking his head a little too hard. Eren started waving his hands as he replied in a higher than normal pitched voice.

“Uh, nah, no, not at all. Totally fine. All good.”

Levi stared hard at Eren for a good second. The other was practically sweating as much as somebody would piss. _What the fuck was up with him?_

“...okay then.”

Levi cast his assistant a weirded out look for his suspicious sounding response but decided to ignore it. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem like it was anything crazy enough for Eren to flat out refuse Levi’s proposal.

“I can drive since I know where to go.”

Mumbling as he wringed out his shirt, water dripped out and slapped against the wooden floor as Eren laughed nervously.

“I mean, I’d hate to destroy your Bugatti with water too.”

Levi silently nodded before walking off, silently appreciative of the other’s consideration. Eren hurried to follow after him as usual.

\-----

The ride to Eren’s house was smooth for the most part. Eren seemed tense in the car ride but Levi paid it no extra attention, instead choosing to stare out the window silently. At least he tried to. But Eren’s rapid finger drumming on the wheel and nervous whistling was distracting him from doing just that. Turning to face Eren in the car, Levi’s eye twitched as he spoke up, annoyed.

“What the hell is it?”

“Huh?”

“What the hell are you all jacked up over? You’ve been winded up like a fucking energizer bunny ever since we left the office.”

“What- no..”

Levi scoffed.

“Bullshit. Now spit it out.”

Looking at Levi from the side of his eye, Eren’s tone went soft as he muttered.

“I thought you usually don’t bother to show you care.”

Lifting his chin from his palm, Levi turned to look at Eren, eyes slightly narrowed before replying.

“You’re right.”

He then crossed his arms, internally cringing from the leaking water coming from his suit as he did so. Levi spoke up again.

“But for whatever reason, we’re friends. Plus, you look like you’re about to explode if I don’t press you about it.”

Eren laughed at Levi’s reasoning as he shook his head. Sometimes he wondered about Levi. He knew his boss cared. Or at least Eren was pretty sure Levi did. He just had a weird way of showing it, that’s all.

Hesitating, Eren rubbed the side of his neck before smiling nervously.

“I don’t know, it’s stupid..”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Shooting Levi a look, Eren huffed before shrugging loosely.

“I guess it’s just that I feel nervous about having you come over. I wasn’t expecting a visitor..”

Levi’s eyebrows raised at the admittance before a small scoff escaped his lips.

“Me? I know I’m your boss, Eren, but I’m not going to fire your ass over a pigsty if your apartment is like that. I just want us to get in, dress down, clean up and get out.”

“Oh..yeah. You’re right.”

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Eren looked back to the road. Levi’s frown deepened. His assistant still seemed off. Was Levi’s guess wrong?

Just as Levi was about to open his mouth again to ask, Eren perked up and turned right.

“We’re here!”

Pulling into an apartment complex, Levi looked around at the buildings. It seemed like a pretty nice place for an apartment building to be honest. The property was painted a nice forest green with white panes and glass windows. He watched as Eren pulled into what looked like the complex parking lot. Turning the engine off, he then looked over at Levi as his boss swiftly unbuckled himself and got out of the car the minute he had the chance. Levi didn’t want to be drenched for a second longer if he could help it. He had been sitting in sprinkler water for long enough and the feeling of it made Levi feel gross and uncomfortable.

\-----

“I’m home!”

Eren exclaimed to an empty living room as he swung the door wide open and tossed his keys into a bowl by the entrance. Kicking his shoes off, Eren sighed as he carefully toed his way to what Levi was assuming was the bathroom. Levi glanced around, scoffing as he took off his own shoes. The place was what you’d expect of a teenager. Messy with clothes thrown around, dishes in the sink and stray objects lying about. Following Eren, Levi followed him past a bedroom that had..two beds? Only catching a brief glimpse, Levi turned back forward as Eren opened the door to the bathroom. He then spoke up in a reprimanding tone.

“You know, I can’t fire you over your man cave but you’ve got some cleaning to do. By some, I mean a shit ton.”

Muttering as he walked into the bathroom, Levi turned to face Eren, realizing they both left a trail of water in their walk. Noticing his boss’ reaction, Eren hastily waved a hand.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll clean it up. The knob is right there and the towels are in the cabinet. Don’t worry, they’re clean. Just shower first. I know you’re kinda anal about that stuff..and sorry about the mess haha..but let me know if you need anything?”

Laughing nervously, Eren pulled a hairband from his damp hair as it fell messily around his shoulders. Levi nodded before his eyes wandered over to the sink. Turning back to Eren, he spoke up before his assistant could leave.

“You living with someone, Jaeger?”

“What?”

“I just noticed you have two sets of some shit around your house, like beds and toothbrushes. Didn’t know if you had a girlfr-.”

Snapping shut mid sentence, Levi grimaced at himself as Eren awkwardly looked to the side, already realizing what his boss accidentally said even if he didn’t finish. Looking back at Levi, Eren ignored the mistake and gave a strained smile as his eyebrows turned up. Eren leaned against the doorway.

“Nah..no boyfriend either. It’s Armin actually. But he’s at work.”

Silently thankful that the other let his mistake slide, Levi nodded at Eren’s answer.

“Ah..so you two live together, huh?”

“Well, yeah. We’re practically best friends but I’m sure you know that from all the times you’ve paged me from his office.”

His assistant let out a sigh in remembrance. For a second, Levi even forgot he was still drenched in that disgusting water. Not to mention that the longer he waited on his shower, the longer Eren had to as well. Turning to the glass door and sliding it open, Levi bent over and turned the knob before glancing back at Eren.

“I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

“Alright.”

As Eren shut the door, Levi turned back to the shower, pleasantly surprised to find the water was steaming hot already. Just the way he liked it. Peeling his clothes off, he folded the wet clothes neatly, placing them on the closed toilet seat before stepping in. Sighing in bliss at the feeling of the hot droplets hitting his skin, Levi let his head fall back for a brief second before he immediately went to cleaning. Looking through the bottles, Levi scanned the labels. His eyebrows shot up as he noticed a particular one labeled ‘strawberry flavored lube’. Clicking his tongue in disdain, Levi prayed to himself that his assistant did _not_ regularly fuck people in the shower as he grabbed the right bottle for his hair. Furiously scrubbing the shampoo into his scalp, nimble fingers massaged their way into black strands as foam bubbled up.

Levi then quickly rinsed it off before working on his body, firmly scrubbing every groove of himself. He could practically feel the dirt and grime wash off of him as he went about his business, relief washing over him like the water. It took him a total of three minutes before he turned off the shower and stepped out, yanking open the cabinet and grabbing a towel. Realizing he had no clothes, Levi hung the towel around his hips before snatching up his clothes and opening the door.

“Eren?”

“Yeah?”

Eren’s voice shouted back to him from down the hall as Levi walked out, making his way towards the sound of his assistant’s voice.

Heading out into the main room, Levi crossed his arms as his wet folded suit hung from his right hand. Eren turned around with a piece of bread in his mouth before his jaw immediately unhinged, whole wheat dropping to the floor with a soft plop at the sight of a half naked Levi.

_FUCK. Think of Jean, think of Jean.._

Silently chanting to himself, Eren tried to fiercely think of Horse Face but his eyes were still glued to Levi’s shirtless, muscular body. Pale, unmarked abs were flexing under the daylight as water glistened and trickled down between them. His boss’ towel hung loosely, teasing Eren with a peek at Levi’s defined V-line.

It was taking every ounce of his will to not get rock hard on the spot.

However, Levi seemed more distracted by the waste of food rather than his assistant’s reaction. Eyebrows furrowing at the bread on the floor, Levi frowned.

“You just wasted that.”

“Huh..?”

Mumbling distantly, Eren seemed to realize his boss was glaring at him soon enough for dropping his bread slice. He snapped back to the present. Quickly bending down and snatching the bread off the floor, Eren cursed silently.

_You’re supposed to be FRIENDS with Levi. Do not think of banging your boss- do not think of banging your boss-_

Levi’s assistant cleared his throat before squeaking out.

“Uh- Yeah, right! Did you need something?”

“Maybe some clothes?”

Replying haughtily, Levi motioned to himself and Eren perked up with realization.

“Oh shit- yeah, sorry about that. Honestly, I haven’t done laundry in a while but there should definitely be some clean clothes in my drawer. They’re in the right one. I’m gonna go shower before I start wiping the floor cause I’m still making a mess in my current state.”

Eren nervously laughed as Levi nodded. Walking down the small hallway with him, Levi came to a stop at the first door.

“This room, right?”

“Yeah! Oh- wait-”

Stopping in his tracks, Eren turned his head back and glanced at him, slightly nervous.

“Just, like, don’t go snooping around in the other drawers..I mean I’m sure you don’t care enough to- but yeah..”

At Eren’s request, Levi suddenly remembered Eren wearing those lacy panties. Feeling a heat suddenly pool in the bottom of his gut, Levi quickly shook it off, feeling a bit weirded out at himself for the bodily reaction.

“Go shower, idiot.”

Levi rolled his eyes before waving Eren off. Walking into the bedroom, Levi’s eyes scanned for the correct drawer, locating it before walking over. Cringing as he toed his way over piles of dirty shirts and jeans on the floor, Levi realized that only Eren’s side of the room was dirty while Armin’s was perfectly pristine. He scoffed. Of course Eren’s parts were cluttered and blondie’s was clean. Levi yanked the drawer open, realizing the only clean clothes were extremely casual ones. Pursing his lips in distaste, Levi shook his head and sighed before leafing through the drawer. He was sure Erwin could excuse the wardrobe malfunction for half a day. Usually, he wouldn’t be caught dead wearing whatever..these outfits were. But work wasn’t going to wait for Levi and he was intending on returning to the workplace regardless.

The choices were looking pretty fucking grim. There were only two clean articles of clothing that Levi was not going to practically drown in. Eyes kept going back and forth between a grey cat eared sweater _(god, why the hell did Eren have this?)_ ( [ X ](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1XGZbXx685uJjSZFHq6A49pXaS/2017-New-Funny-Womens-Cat-Hoodies-Cute-Girls-Cat-Ear-Pullover-Sweatshirt-Long-Sleeve-Jumper-Fall.jpg) ) and a navy blue shirt. He decided to grab the short-sleeved shirt and was about to put it on. That is, until he saw the wording on it after he unfolded it ( [ X ](https://media.thetab.com/uploads/2013/07/Screen-Shot-2013-07-22-at-13.25.59.png) ). Lips pulling back in disgust, Levi wondered why Eren even _had_ this joke on a shirt. He was fucking gay after all. Folding the crude article of clothing and stuffing it back into the drawer corner as far as he could, Levi grumbled before roughly yanking the hoodie over his head. He was very done with life right now. Eren’s pants did _not_ fit him either. They all either went straight to the floor or hung loosely for a good second before dropping from the slightest shift. He finally found some skinny jeans crammed in the very back that looked like they just might stay on.

Unfolding the clothing, Levi straightened his back, eyes meeting a bright pair of round brilliant amber ones that hovered over the dresser table. Levi thought he was staring at Eren for a second..before realizing the color was wrong. It wasn’t an emerald green but a warm gold. He stood there staring at a picture frame resting atop the drawer that held a photo of a beautiful woman who was smiling from ear to ear. She was wearing a beautiful brown collared dress as black hair was swept to the side in a ponytail, hands placed delicately in her lap.

..so this was Eren’s mom.

The similarity was striking. If Eren was a female, Levi would have thought he was a younger version of his mother with the exception of their eye colors. Maybe the difference came from his father’s side? Levi stood there, silently admiring the photo as he looked to the right. There was another one of Eren’s mother. It seemed to have been snapped mid-action as she was laughing and tossing an equally happy baby into the air. That must have been Eren. Levi’s eyes softened at the photo as he stared at baby Eren, blissfully unaware and joyful.

“..Who are you?”

_That didn’t sound like Eren._

Levi heard a prickly, questioning voice from behind him before he turned around, surprised. A black haired woman stood in the middle of Eren’s and Armin’s bedroom, holding what looked like a damp hand towel. It seemed like she was already cleaning up after their watery mess the minute she came in. She adorned a tomboy haircut that only reached just past her ears with a white button up and a sleek red business skirt. She stared him down with sharp grey eyes, pink lips pressed into a tight line. Despite the male’s state, Levi stared back just as coldly, not exactly sure who the unmentioned stranger standing in Eren’s apartment was. Instead of answering, Levi only questioned the stranger back.

“Who are you?”

Just at the right moment, Eren walked into the bedroom, a towel loosely draped around his waist as he had another in his right hand, furiously drying his hair.

“Levi, I just realized I don’t know if my clothes fit y-”

Stopping mid sentence, Eren processed the current situation, realizing there was a third party. Levi crossed his arms and leaned against the drawer as the female whipped her head around, the expression on her face doing a complete 180. The tense and cold look she had on was completely dropped at the sight of Eren, being replaced with bright eyes and a soft smile.

“Eren..!”

Levi quietly snorted to himself.

_Wow. Guess the ice queen has some emotions._

“Oh- _Mikasa-_ What are you doing here??”

Mikasa crossed her arms as Eren’s bewildered question before replying.

“I came to check up on the apartment since _someone_ is too occupied to reply to my texts asking.”

Eren sighed before dropping his small head towel onto his unmade bed.

“You don’t have to check up on me all the time. _I keep telling you_ \- I’m fine. Are you my mom or something?”

The female ignored Eren’s complaint and turned back around, looking between Eren and Levi before slowly speaking up.

“...was I interrupting something?”

Levi suddenly realized what the situation looked like. Still clutching the pair of ripped jeans in his hands, Levi looked down at himself. He was wearing Eren’s hoodie that went down to his thighs and nothing else while his assistant was practically naked and fresh out of the shower. It seemed like this Mikasa chick knew which way Eren swung which didn’t help how their current case looked. Levi didn’t know who this woman was but she seemed pretty damn close to Eren considering she was able to let herself into his place. Levi simply remained silent and crossed his arms, leaving it to Eren to handle the talking. 

“Huh?”

Eren stared back at Mikasa blankly before he finally looked over at Levi. Realizing the other was half naked still, Eren looked down at his own partially naked state before meeting Mikasa’s eyes as she had her own arms crossed with an arched eyebrow. The intense shade of crimson creeping onto his assistant's face as it slowly dawned on him was amusing to Levi as Eren started sputtering.

“Oh my god- _no, Mikasa!_ Er-.. this is my boss. Levi.”

Motioning at Levi, Eren sheepishly ran his fingers through his damp hair as Mikasa turned to Levi, staring him up and down. The silence was deafening as they both stood there, eyeing each other and quietly judging. Eren found it a bit off putting at how similar the vibes they had were now that he thought about it. Finally, Mikasa stretched out her arm for a shake as she spoke coolly.

“Nice to meet you. Mikasa. Mikasa Ackerman.”

Arching an eyebrow, Levi paused before grabbing her hand and shaking it firmly.

“Levi..Levi Ackerman.”

Eyes slightly widening for a second, Mikasa stared hard at Levi. They both took note of the uncanny resemblance to each other on top of the same last name but simultaneously decided to pay it no mind.

“Uhh..maybe Ackerman is a common name.”

Eren remarked casually before walking over to his drawers, next to Levi. The air was static with hostility between the other two that even Eren could feel. He shivered. The assistant would _not_ want to be somebody who got both parties seriously angry. Glancing at the two, Eren flushed and scratched the back of his head before muttering.

“I kinda need to change..so can you guys wait outside?”

Mikasa and Levi shared a look, silently complying and stepping out of the room, back into the main space. Suddenly remembering he still had his bottoms in his hands, he cast a look at Mikasa as she noticed and turned around. Hastily shoving on the pants, Levi was pleasantly surprised that they actually fit..lucky him. Now he didn’t have to stand half naked in a room with Eren’s lady friend.

Seeing as he still didn’t know why a random woman was standing in Eren’s apartment without his knowledge, Levi decided to take initiative and speak up first.

“Mikasa Ackerman. Friend of Eren’s?”

Turning back around, Mikasa frowned before responding.

“No. I’m Eren’s sister.”

Levi simply stared back, visibly confused for obvious reasons. Well, it wasn’t like Levi was thinking she was a girlfriend. The other sighed, realizing and continuing to speak.

“We’re not blood related. My parents died a long time ago from a home invasion when I was a kid. The Jaegers decided to take me in.”

Well, shit. Guess both Ackermans had a pretty shitty childhood.

“My condolences.”

It was all Levi could say in response to the grim subject. Mikasa met his eyes before slowly nodding. They could tell that the both of them understood the weight of hardships from each other’s body language.

Mikasa then dropped the wet towel into a hamper before looking at Levi again.

“So..Eren’s boss?”

“Yes.”

It seemed like Mikasa also lacked passiveness like Levi as she bluntly stated her next question. 

“Why is Eren’s boss standing half naked and freshly showered in Eren’s bedroom?”

Levi tsked before shaking his head.

“The idiot set off a fire alarm. Our office got flooded and so did our clothes. Least your brother could do was lend me his shower after I covered for his ass.”

Mikasa looked slightly surprised before the edge to her face softened the smallest bit. It seemed like she was somewhat grateful about Levi’s cover up for Eren.

“Well..thank you.”

The smallest smile pulled at her lips before she softly laughed.

“I think you know how much of a handful Eren can be sometimes.”

Levi glanced around at the messy apartment before scoffing.

“Yes, he really can be.”

They both went silent again, the tension letting up as they were in a mutually companionable type of mood instead this time. However, Levi spoke up again, much to Mikasa’s and his own surprise. He didn’t know why but when it came to Eren, he found himself able to talk a lot more than his normal amount. Maybe it was a result of their newly blossomed friendship.

“Eren is a handful but he’s determined and steadfast. I wouldn’t have any other individual as my assistant. He can handle himself just fine.”

Levi was a bit amused with himself for praising Eren’s independence in such a shitty state of an apartment but it was how he really felt when he thought of Eren. Eren was dependable when it came to business... he just needed help in the cleaning department when it came to home. Which Levi found amusing since he’d considered Eren to be the cleanest out of all of his employees. Unfortunately, that may be the case still...Levi internally shuddered at the thought of what Sasha’s or Connie’s place possibly looked like. Mikasa seemed a bit surprised at Levi’s positive response before looking away with pursed lips.

“Maybe..but I still need to check up on him. I feel like he needs it.”

Levi simply shook his head but didn’t argue. Soon enough, Mikasa would realize Eren didn’t need to be babied but it wasn’t his place to say anything. While they were on the subject of of Eren, the man in question walked out from the hallway, wearing one of the jeans that Levi couldn’t fit earlier as well as a simple green shirt. Glancing between the two warily, it was clear his assistant had been nervous about the two of them alone. He slowly spoke up.

“Everything okay here?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Levi and Mikasa replied in unintentional unison before eyeing each other. At least, they we’re on slightly more bearable terms. It didn’t seem like Mikasa wanted to cut his head off anymore like the look she was giving him earlier.

Eren laughed at their simultaneous response before turning to Mikasa with crossed arms. His laidback attitude became slightly stern.

“Mikasa..I thought I told you I didn’t want to be parented. I gave you that key for emergency purposes. Not for you to get in every other day to watch over me like a hawk.”

Frowning at Eren’s words, Mikasa huffed before crossing her arms.

“You always seem to get into trouble though.. and your new job has you overwhelmed! I just need to make sure you’re not overworking yourself-“

“Mikasa! Armin literally lives with me! If anything were that bad, he’d let you know! Now can you act like my sister for once and not like Mom!?”

Levi remained silent as he steered clear of the small quarrel going on between the two. Mikasa seemed to wilt a little at Eren’s annoyed insistence before muttering.

“...I’ll try to minimize the visits.”

A look of relief washed over Eren’s face as he sighed in relief.

“Thank you, Mika. Now I need to get to work..”

As his assistant trailed off, Levi realized that it was Eren’s signal for them to leave. Walking towards the entrance, Levi was thankful to find that his leather shoes were dry. He slipped them on before scoffing at his image in the mirror by the entrance. He looked like a cringey teenager on the verge of some breakdown for finals. Eren followed suit as Mikasa spoke up.

“I’ll just clean up around here and I’ll be on my way.”

“Mikasa, you really don’t have to-“

“I want to. Just go already. Drive safe, alright?”

Giving Eren a small smile, the brunette smiled back before huffing and waving her off.

“Alright.”

As soon as the apartment door shut, Eren let out a huge sigh before running a hand over his face.

“God, I love my sister to bits but sometimes she’s too much..”

Levi snorted at the other’s whining as they made their way to the parking lot.

“At least she cares about you. I wasn’t expecting some random woman to walk in on me changing though.”

Eren’s eyes widened before he shook his head with an apologetic look.

“Shit- I forgot about that. I’m sorry, she wasn’t expecting anybody likely.”

“No worries. I wasn’t naked anyways.”

Suddenly remembering, Eren turned to look at Levi, finally registering what his boss was wearing. Clapping a hand on his mouth, Eren poorly covered up his stifled laugh with a cough as Levi shot him a dark look.

“You didn’t exactly have many options for someone my size. Shut up.”

Eren then continued laughing, no longer hiding it as he stepped in front of Levi to keep the others from stomping off.

“... oh my god. That’s my cat hoodie. I literally forgot about that.”

Eren was grinning from ear to ear as Levi scowled.

“My thirty four year old boss is wearing a _cat hoodie._ ”

Levi was seriously contemplating punching Eren as his assistant was getting a little too cheeky for his own good.

“...can you put on the hoodie part?”

“ _What??_ ”

Levi’s head snapped up as he glared at Eren who was now irritatingly unfazed by it. Did he fucking hear his assistant right?

“The hoodie. So I can see the complete look.”

Levi scoffed before attempting to walk around Eren but his assistant was more serious about his request than he thought. Eren quickly stepped out in front of him again to keep him in place. Levi’s scowl deepened as he looked up at Eren, both hands shoved into the hoodie’s front pocket. _This idiot had a death wish._

“You must be out of your fucking mind if you think-“

“I have the keys. You know. Since I’m the one who graciously drove us here.”

Levi’s eyes darkened as they studied Eren for a good second. He let out another scoff.

“Is this your fucking hobby, Jaeger? Messing with your 34 year old boss?”

Eren simply smiled back at the other before shrugging.

“You have fun messing with me too, you know.”

Levi narrowed his eyes at his assistant, unable to rebuttal Eren’s point. _Touché_.

Levi shook his head as his ears turned pink out of embarrassment. Eren took note of the reaction and found it straight up fucking adorable. Levi’s lips pressed together to form a thin line as he grabbed the hoodie and roughly shoved it over his head. Crossing his arms, he looked up at Eren with a cold, pissed off glower.

“Happy now, you shit?”

Eren couldn’t pretend to be scared, even if he wanted to. As intimidating as Levi could be, there was no way Eren could not find the sight of Levi glaring at him in a cat hoodie scary. He laughed before bending down and patting Levi on the head, pretending to scratch behind the cloth cat ears as if they were real.

“Yes, I am.”

Eren teasingly cooed at his boss as the other cussed. Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance as he slapped Eren’s hands away, a barely noticeable flush making its way into his face as he flipped his assistant off.

“Fuck off.”

Eren raised his hands up with a laugh as his eyes skimmed over his boss with amusement.

“Okay, okay.”

——-

As the pair finally made it back to the office, Levi as Eren rounded the corner as Levi spoke up stiffly.

“I’m back. I hope you all did your damn work.”

Realizing he wasn’t getting an immediate response, Levi turned to look at his employees.

Erwin was with them, standing by Jean’s cubicle as all Levi’s employees looked taken aback. Jean was gawking at him while Connie’s mouth hung open. Sasha’s soon followed, jaw unhinging as the donut in her mouth fell out. Getting annoyed, Levi glared at them all. _What the hell were they gaping at? This wasn’t the fucking zoo._

“What the fuck is it?”

Levi snapped at the group. Erwin couldn’t help but chuckle, clearly unfazed.

“Nice hoodie, Levi.”

Levi’s eyes widened as he realized he still was wearing the hood, cat ears flipping around with each move. Levi flushed as he snatched the hood off his head, turning to glare at Eren who was grinning, visibly pissed. He scurried off to his office, refusing to respond to Erwin as Eren quickly followed after him. As expected, Levi had cussed up a storm all the way to his desk.

“Jesus fucking christ, I can’t catch a damn break in this shithole.”

Slamming open his laptop, Levi glared at it before he directed his gaze up off the screen, realizing Eren was staring at him.

“What the hell is it?”

Levi snapped at Eren, faltering for a second as the brunette slightly winced at the tone.

“No..it’s just.. sorry. I know I wasted a lot of work hours. I should have known about the clothes too..”

 _Oh. Eren was apologizing about the sprinklers._ Levi’s features softened slightly as he sharply exhaled. Pausing to compose himself, he eventually sat down in his seat. Everything was already cleaned up thankfully which helped his mood.

“It’s fine. I had insisted we go to your apartment earlier anyways.”

Levi made eye contact with Eren as his assistant smiled tiredly, relieved that his boss wasn’t upset. _That was better._ He liked it more when Eren was smiling. Levi decided to throw in a sassy statement.

“...at least I managed to find a pair of pants that fit anyways.”

About to get to work, Levi heard a confused noise from Eren before he looked up with a questioning expression.

“What?”

“Wait..that shouldn’t be possible now that I think about it..what pants are you wearing??”

Pausing at his assistant’s confused voice, Levi proceeded to stand again as Eren took a good look. Eren covered his mouth before he started laughing, a grin forming in his face. Levi frowned before he began snapping yet again at the other, confused and irritated.

“The fuck is it now, Jaeger?”

Eren was still laughing as he looked at his boss with an entertained expression.

“Those are my pants from like... _middle school_.”

Pursing his lips, Levi’s eyes widened at the realization. He dropped back down onto his seat, ears flushed, before flipping off a grinning Eren.

“...Fuck off.”

Eren sat at his own desk, eyes bright with amusement.

“Will do, sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Mikasa arrives to the scene, overprotective of Eren as always. 
> 
> Sasha's over-use of the kitchen supplies inadvertently assisted the romantic endeavors of two oblivious men.
> 
> P.S. Stove broke cause Sasha overused it from making baking potatoes in her ten minute break.


	14. Playboy Magazine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Saturday again which means Chapter 14.  
> Hope my readers are doing well and that you're all having a non shitty week. If you are then I hope my writing helps in any way even if it's microscopic. I've been playing the game Phasmophobia with my friends and of course the little shit of a ghost decides to kill me out of my group. 🖕🏻

**Chapter 14**

_Eren’s POV_

It was a Friday and the office was a bit livelier than usual. Fridays meant the last weekday and the beginning of the weekend. It was something small that all adults received joy from in their 9 to 5 lives. Levi’s team was sitting in the lunchroom, enjoying their food as Eren came in with his own meal. Erwin’s people were probably too busy to join them in the lunchroom that day.

“So nice of you to finally join us for once, _Ereh_.” 

Jean mimicked Mikasa’s pronunciation as he proceeded to stab at his salad. 

“ _Hey_ , I’ve still been around.”

Eren replied snarkily and rolled his eyes before sitting down next to Jean. He nodded to Sasha and Connie as a form of greeting. Connie saluted him jokingly as Sasha let out a small series of muffled noises while she chewed. It was probably her attempt at greeting him.

“So...how come you haven’t been eating lunch with us? I thought maybe you ran off to Armin again or were busy but you haven’t dropped by even occasionally, man!”

Connie exclaimed as he waved his burger around, Sasha eyeing it silently. Swallowing the bite in her mouth, she spoke up, wide-eyed. It was funny how Sasha could casually conversate while she was staring a hole into Connie’s food. Something that happened more often than not.

“You could imagine my surprise when I walked by Levi’s office and realized you’ve been eating there!”

“Oh- I guess you’ve noticed?”

Eren muttered nonchalantly as he unwrapped his sandwich. Jean and Connie stared at their friend before scoffing at his laidback attitude. Shoving aside his salad, Jean arched an eyebrow at Eren and continued talking.

“..dude, it’s hard _not_ to notice you suddenly eating with our demon of a boss. My question is _why?_ Like, he wasn’t that bad to hang out with at Utgard that night I guess but that was with a whole _group_ of people! I doubt I’d be eating with that dude, one on one, willingly.”

Eren furrowed his eyebrows as he ate his sandwich, the rest of the group looking at him curiously.

“He’s honestly not bad at all, guys. We’re actually friends.”

The table paused at Eren’s words as they stared at him in disbelief.

_Did they just hear that right? Friends? With Levi?_

Eventually, a shit eating grin came onto Jean’s face as he began snickering.

“You’ve got to be joking. Getting buddy buddy with your boss, _Levi Ackerman_? You’re the adult version of a teacher’s pet, dude.”

Eren sneered back, crossing his arms.

“ _I’m not._ I’m also not fucking around, _horseface_. He’s actually really cool.”

Sasha tilted her head in confusion as she finished the fries in her hand and exclaimed.

“Is it because he maybe gives you benefits? Like free food!?”

Eren snorted at Sasha’s questioning before throwing his hands in the air. _Was their impression of Levi really that extreme??_

“No!! Is it really that hard to believe?”

The rest of the group glanced at each other. They all faced Eren and responded simultaneously.

“Uhh yeah.”

“Yep.”

“Mmhm.”

The assistant scoffed in disbelief and shook his head. Opening his mouth for another rebuttal, Eren snapped shut when hearing a familiar voice coming from behind him.

“Jaeger.”

Eren turned around to face his boss who was standing in the doorway with an emotionless look. The rest of the group stopped eating, bodies tensed up, with the exception of Sasha who was still chewing on her hamburger nervously. Even then, she was still ogling Levi with wide eyes along with the rest of the group. Levi’s assistant, however, was unfazed. Eren tilted his head, unwrapping his lunch. 

“Did you need something, Levi?”

Levi leaned against the doorway before speaking up without any bark or bite to his voice. Something that was rare for the rest of the group to hear. After all, a majority of their interactions with their boss were through work demands and being snapped at to do their job right.

“I realized I left my clothes from the sprinkler mess at your house but I have to get home by a certain time. Do you mind if I drop by to pick them up?”

Eren frowned before waving off at the raven haired male.

“If you need to be home by a certain time then I can just drop it off at your place. Is seven o’ clock good?”

Levi glanced at his watch, momentarily in thought, before he gave his assistant a nod.

“Okay.”

“Alright, see you then!”

Shouting out as Levi was already heading out, Eren then turned back around and was ready to take a bite of his sandwich, only to realize everybody else was gawking at him. Connie let out a disbelieving laugh.

“...dude.”

“What??”

“You’re going to his _house_? That’s like going straight into the devil’s den.”

Eren began frowning as everybody continued looking at him like he had two heads.

“What?? Damn, you guys get scared easily. What’s he going to do? Bite your head off?”

The rest of the group sheepishly looked away before Jean paused. He then sighed before admitting his thoughts aloud.

“Okay, I’m still skeptical over it..but you _did_ kind of have me believing Levi was like one of us for a second.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe you’re actually friends with hi-mmph..!”

Sasha’s words were drowned out as Connie shoved a piece of bread in her mouth, which she happily began to munch on. Leaning in, Connie glanced at the doorway before speaking in a quieter voice.

“Dude, do you get benefits or some shit? Like, how did you even become close with our boss?”

Eren had a slightly irked expression on his face as he finished up his sandwich. Huffing, the assistant threw a hand in the air before making a face.

“No, I don’t! I told you guys for the millionth time, I’m friends with Levi cause I want to be. We realized we have fun hanging out together. _That’s it._ ”

Jean leaned back in his chair, eyebrows slightly raised as he let out a low whistle.

“Well, I guess I am impressed that you’re actually telling the truth. Don’t know if I could ever be friends with him even if I tried. Bastard would probably shoot me a glare so cold, I’d be frozen over for days.”

Shifting the mood to a more lighthearted one, Jean then slapped his friend on the back with a snicker.

“Get that bag, Ereh!”

Jean’s antics earned an annoyed look and wince from Eren who snapped back.

“I told you I’m not getting shit out of it either!”

\-----

Eren stood in front of a small, old house. Looking down at the address Levi texted him, he confirmed he was in the right place again before walking up the cobblestone pathway. The lawn was neatly kept but it was empty, deprived of any colors or nice plants. A few vines and wires hung above the place. Oh well...his boss probably didn’t have time to take care of things like that. Clutching a bag with all of Levi’s clothes, cleaned and ironed, Eren forced himself to calm down and ignore the fact that his heart might have been going at a hundred miles a second. So what if he was at Levi’s house? They were just friends, _that’s it_. The assistant even refrained from contacting Armin about looking good or anything and forced himself to just shove on a simple olive green t-shirt and ripped skinny jeans. As much as Eren knew he looked halfway decent in his work clothes, he really couldn’t stand being in them for longer than he had to. He was a man of comfort at heart so suits at home or an outing were a definite no go.

Eren continued to keep himself steady and nonchalant as he raised his hand and rang the doorbell, glancing around the outside. He was currently standing on a small birch porch and the house was painted a cool grey. The window panes were cleaned to perfection, to the point where Eren felt like he could see right in if he dared to try. He finally glanced down at the welcome mat he was standing on..or at least it was supposed to be a “welcome” mat. Eren laughed to himself as he read the doormat, eyes lighting up in amusement at the cursive lettering ‘welcome to the shit show’ ([ X ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/33/61/d8/3361d89a7f4191e1c4c4f71e40468f1c.jpg)).

Hearing a click, he snapped his head up as the smile on his face widened at the sight of Levi. Waving with his free hand, Eren looked at the other who was dressed in a grey sweater and denim jeans. Unfortunately, no kitty hoodie this time. Levi was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, the faintest trace of a smile playing on his lip as he looked up at Eren.

“Hey there.”

“Hey.”

The assistant motioned downwards.

“Nice doormat.”

Looking where Eren was pointing, Levi let out a quiet chuckle before stepping to the side to let the other in.

“Thanks. It really called out to me while I was shopping back then.”

One thing that made Eren feel really happy was that the other began smiling a lot more around him and even occasionally laughing too now and then. The assistant probably shouldn’t have butterflies noisily fluttering around in his stomach from it but he couldn’t help it. Eren hummed in amusement as he stepped into the house. Making sure to take off his shoes, he placed them on the rack by the entrance before taking a look around. The place was definitely really nice and clean too of course..but it did seem a bit barren. Almost like it was barely lived in. Which might actually be the case since Levi breathed and ate work even more than Eren.

“I like your place! But it seems kinda..”

“Empty? I get that a lot.”

Levi replied knowingly before holding out a hand.

“My clothes?”

“Oh- Here!”

Thrusting the bag forward, Eren smiled sheepishly as Levi took it. Examining the contents of the bag, Levi seemed pleased to find the clothes cleaned and unwrinkled.

“Did you wash these?”

“Of course I did..I ironed it too.”

“Thanks.”

Eren beamed at the other’s satisfaction. He stood there awkwardly for a second before noticing something colorful out of the corner of his eye. _Was that a..?_ Walking over to the item laying on the kitchen counter, Eren paused and stared at it in disbelief. He finally decided to pick it up.

“Uhh..do you read these often? I didn’t really peg you as that kinda guy.”

Eren laughed before turning to Levi, a raunchy playboy magazine clutched in his hand. A skinny brown haired female was sprawled out on the front cover, legs obscenely spread apart to reveal a lacy red thong as her hands groped her breasts. Levi grimaced before snatching the magazine out of Eren’s hand and holding it out to the side with two fingers. Levi seemed to be anything but interested in the provocative papers even though it was in his house. Meanwhile, Eren was staring at him, visibly amused by the situation. Arching a brow at his assistant, Levi decided to play his own card as well.

“Well, I didn’t peg you as the kind of guy to use strawberry lube in their shower.”

 _Wait, what?_ Staring blankly at Levi, it took a good moment for Eren to register what the other said. Finally registering his words, he turned a bright red as his eyes widened. Levi simply stared back at him with a smirk. _Oh my god, this was embarrassing as hell-_

“Wait- I..I forgot that was even there..”

Eren was getting more and more red under Levi’s intense stare of amusement. Feeling heated and overwhelmed, he looked away and muttered.

“I don’t usually keep those things out in the open, okay? Unlike your magazine..”

Levi scoffed before waving the provocative magazine around.

“I hate to break it to you but this I didn’t buy this piece of-”

“That’s actually mine.”

A smooth, low voice purred out from behind, cutting off Levi. A hand reached out, swiftly taking the magazine from Eren's boss. Levi whipped around to face the third person in the room as Eren looked up from his feet. A tall handsome male with sandy brown hair and piercing platinum eyes stood behind his boss. He was fairly attractive, especially more so with the million dollar smile he was flashing. Whoever he was, he was definitely popular with the ladies. Levi spoke up coldly, a hint of annoyance in his voice as the third party set the magazine down on the couch table.

“Farlan. I thought you weren’t coming back until nine.”

“Had a change of plans so I thought I’d crash back at base earlier.”

Farlan chuckled before turning and taking a look at Eren. Eren felt slightly awkward as he stood there, letting the other look him up and down. Farlan‘s staring was finally broken when his look changed to an amused one. He smirked, stunning ice-blue eyes glimmering with amusement, before letting out a low whistle.

“This is why you asked me if I was going to be out? So I could let you have some playtime with your buddy here?”

Eren decided to take matters into his hands and firmly held a hand out. It would look bad if he didn’t try to be polite to Levi’s acquaintances.

“My name is Eren. Farlan, I assume?”

Farlan raised an eyebrow, looking at the other as if he was some new shiny toy. Eventually, he took Eren’s hand and shook it, letting the handshake linger a note longer before pulling back. The brunette hummed in amusement before motioning to the magazine.

“Do you usually leave things like that out at other people’s houses? You seem to have a thing for naked brown haired women.”

Farlan laughed again before walking over closer to Eren. Levi felt his body slightly tense as he watched his friend swing an arm around his assistant’s shoulders.

“I try to be a bit more gentlemanly than that but I just wasn’t expecting grouchy here to bring in any visitors. However, I might have to correct you and say I have a thing for brown haired _people_.”

Eren’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he didn’t pay any bother to Farlan’s arm around his shoulders. _Hey, maybe the guy was just touchy_. There were people like that and he would definitely not put it past Levi’s friend with the playboy vibes he was getting.

“Brown haired _people_?”

Eren frowned questionably at the other as Farlan smirked and moved his arm to the assistant’s waist, smoothly yanking him in closer.

“Well, I make an exception for men sometimes.”

“Uh-..?”

The assistant mumbled shakily as he flushed slightly at the close contact. Geez, okay, this guy was _really_ touchy.

“What he’s trying to say is he’s fucked both women and men. So watch out for your dick.”

Levi snapped at Eren, tone slightly more sharper than usual. Eren seemed a bit taken aback from his boss’ icy voice, head sharply turning at the tone. He cast a look of concern at Levi as the other turned to look off at nothing in particular.

 _Was Levi okay? Maybe he was just annoyed by Farlan’s sudden appearance._.

Eren turned to face the other male who was a bit close, pointing at Farlan with a surprised mumble.

“ _Oh..._ so you’re-”

“That’s right, pretty eyes. I’m down for anybody as long as they’ve got a nice face. You’re kind of handsome yourself, you know? Tall like a model too..”

Farlan chimed in with a wink before pulling away. Grabbing a strand of Eren’s hair, he twirled it around his finger before leaning in _really_ close, causing their lips to almost touch. His eyes trailed down to Eren’s lips before he purred. Eren felt like he was being stared at like a piece of meat and he wasn’t used to it.

“What about you, Eren? Do you possibly bat for the same team?”

“U-uh...I..”

Eren's face felt hot as he stared back at Farlan with wide eyes. _Wow, okay._ This guy was _seriously_ flirty. Maybe he was like that with everybody? There were people who were just natural flirts. Honestly, Farlan was kind of handsome- well, he was actually _really_ good looking. But Eren wasn’t over Levi..he still had to work on that.

Opening his mouth as he stuttered, Eren was cut off from properly replying when Levi walked past Farlan as the shorter man smacked him hard on the head.

“Stop teasing my assistant, you horndog. Why don’t you go back to fucking cokeheads at the club again and leave us some peace and quiet?”

Snarkily speaking up, Levi shot him a glare as Farlan winced and rubbed the back of his head.

“Assistant? So he’s not a friend?”

Asking in a confused tone, Farlan pulled back from Eren as the assistant let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding in, clutching his chest. Eren was listening in though as he turned to Levi, curious about his response. Levi sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“He’s both.”

“Oh, I see..”

Farlan trailed off and glanced at Eren who seemed a bit unsure of how to act. If anything, Eren was not used to any portrayals of affection or flirting from other guys. All it took was a very direct and blunt questioning to make the assistant hot, bothered, and as red as a cherry. He glanced around before his eyes settled on Levi. His boss seemed a bit irked by his friend’s early arrival if anything. Not wanting to test the waters, Eren laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Farlan. I should get going..”

Turning quickly to head to the door, an arm went around Eren’s neck before yanking him back. Eren let out a small ‘oof’ before turning his head to face Farlan who had him in a loose headlock.

“Not so fast, sugar.”

“..!?”

Eren’s eyes widened as he made a confused face at Farlan. For being Levi’s friend, he was definitely not like Levi. Then again..Hanji wasn’t either.

“Could you..loosen your grip...at least?”

Choking out, Eren spoke in a tightened voice as Farlan immediately let go once noticing.

“Oh shoot, sorry, doll.”

“Do you give everybody pet names or something?”

Eren’s cheeks were tinted as he rubbed his neck and frowned at the other.

“I mean, not _everybody_. Just the hot ones.”

Farlan chuckled before cheesily winking at the assistant. Eren couldn’t keep up with half of the things Levi’s friend was saying and he was getting overwhelmed by how sugar coated the other’s words were. Farlan placed his hand on Eren’s shoulder and leaned in with a playful smile to which the tall man stiffened.

“How about we all watch a movie or something, eh? Have a little take out or something?”

Farlan turned to Levi with a grin and Eren did the same. His boss seemed tense and even slightly irked. Yikes..Levi in a bad mood was not fun, no matter how close you were to him.

“What happened to hitting up the nightclub with your equally idiotic friends?”

Farlan simply stared back, unfazed. Lips turning upward into a mischievous smile, he turned to look at Eren who stared back with a perplexed expression.

“I think I’ll take a raincheck. Found something more interesting.”

Farlan continued staring at Eren with a gleam in his eyes. Eren was not used to jokes or flirtatious messing around from men you’ve known for only ten minutes. The assistant scoffed nervously before crossing his arms.

“You know, I’m just your average dude with a nine to five job, right?”

Farlan looked momentarily surprised before he chuckled and leaned his weight against the couch.

“Is that what you think of yourself? You have some pretty attractive features, you know. Your eyes for example..”

Levi’s friend trailed off and made eye contact with Eren, giving him a playful look.

“..they’re a really unique color. Like the sky or something-”

“ _The ocean._ ”

Levi snapped out in annoyance as Farlan and Eren turned to face him at the irate tone. Seeing the other parties surprised faces, Levi seemed to realize his voice was a bit snarky. He paused, repeating himself in a slightly more gentle voice.

“..they’re like the ocean.”

Eren’s cheeks had flushed into a light rosy shade at the indirect compliment. Farlan seemed a bit caught off guard at the initial attitude but recovered in record time before chuckling at Levi. 

“Yeah, that’s a better comparison.”

Eren felt his heart warm up a bit at Levi’s comment before shaking it off. Friends gave compliments all the time. Besides, Levi’s compliment wasn’t exactly directed at him anyways. Farlan suddenly moved closer to Eren again, lifting a hand.

“Do you keep your hair long for a reason, Eren?”

The assistant tilted his head before shrugging. He felt a bit on edge around Farlan but the other didn’t seem like a _bad_ person.

“Not really. I just like it this way I guess.”

“Well, it looks nice. Soft too.”

Farlan smiled casually with a lurking sense of hunger in his eyes. The assistant could only stay still, embarrassed but stuck in place as the other leaned in. Farlan’s cologne was really strong, musky and head dizzying unlike Levi’s. It made Eren feel fuzzy in the head and want to zone out. The male then brushed his fingers against Eren's hair once again, beginning to curl his fingers around them. Suddenly, a loud smack jolted Eren’s senses as emerald orbs widened at the sound. Coming back to the present, Eren realized Levi was now standing right by them, one hand tightly gripping Farlan’s wrist which was yanked away from Eren’s head. Irritated stormy grey eyes glared up at amused ice blue ones as Levi spoke up in a threatening growl.

“ _Knock it off_ , Farlan. You’re scaring Eren.”

Eren felt a small spike of worry jump in his stomach as the two looked like they were about to seriously fight. Before he could start spouting words of assurance, Farlan winced at Levi’s grip before pushing off the raven haired male’s hand gently.

“Alright, alright. Geez, Levi. I was just messing around now.”

Pulling his hand away from the other’s loosened grip, Farlan lightly laughed it off as he moved his wrist around. Eren quickly shook his head in dismay before speaking up himself, determined to shove away the tension.

“It’s alright, Levi. We can all be good friends!”

Turning to Farlan, Eren arched an eyebrow.

“Right, Farlan?”

Farlan replied with an amused smile on his face.

“Right, Eren.”

Eren grinned back before slapping a hand on both Levi’s and Farlan’s shoulders, Farlan visibly more than content with the contact as Levi continued looking off to the side stubbornly.

“How about that movie?”

Turning to face Levi, Eren gave him a reassuring look as his ocean eyes shined with contentment.

“Is that alright, Levi?”

Levi finally turned to make eye contact with Eren. Staring back at him, Levi eventually sharply exhaled before replying in a monotone voice.

“...do what you want.”

Eren smiled at his boss before walking over to television. Of course, it was a large flat screen. The quality was likely amazing too.

“Where’s the remote?”

Farlan didn’t miss a beat in replying.

“I think I dropped it under the cabinet actually. Can you scoop it out for me?”

Muttering with a perplexed expression, Eren frowned before getting on his knees.

“Huh? Okay..why would you not get it if you left it there..”

Bending over, he didn’t bother waiting for his eyes to adjust to the shaded area before sticking out a hand and swiping around for it. Meanwhile, Farlan had a cheeky smirk on his face as he stood next to Levi, staring at the newly created view. Looking to his right at Farlan with an icy stare, Levi sharply sucked in a breath between his teeth as he muttered under his breath.

“Did you actually leave the remote there, you shit?”

Farlan’s eyes were glued to Eren’s ass as the assistant squirmed around. Eren was oblivious to the other’s ogling. The corner of his mouth curved into a mischievous smile before he gave a side eye to Levi and remained silent. Although annoyed, Levi couldn’t help but accidentally glance over himself, tensing up as soon as he realized what he did.

“..I can’t find the remote..are you sure it’s back here?”

Calling out as he huffed, Eren began erratically swinging his hands everywhere under the furniture.

“Maybe you need to go in deeper.”

Farlan remarked his line casually as Levi narrowed his eyes at the suggestive undertone. Just when Levi was about to snap at his friend about tricking his assistant, Eren let out a victory shout. He stood up and turned with a grin and waved the remote in his hand.

“I found it!”

Levi pressed his lips together tightly, remaining quiet as Farlan grinned and gave a thumbs up.

“Nice! So what are we watching? Levi’s got Netflix.”

Eren grinned and plopped on the couch, motioning for the two to come over.

“What do you guys watch normally?”

Farlan sat on the right of Eren while Levi didn’t move, staring at the others with wary eyes.

“I like all sorts of stuff. But I’m a guy that’s into those shows like Big Bang Theory or Friends.”

“Oh really? Have you ever watched Parks and Recs?”

“Yeah, that too. Honestly it’s pretty fucking funny sometimes.”

Eren’s eyes lit up as he conversed with Farlan. He was actually pretty fun and really easy to talk to.

Noticing his boss hadn’t sat down yet, Eren turned and stared at Levi. A small airy laugh escaped Eren’s lips as he smiled at the other, trying to loop him into the conversation.

“Have you ever watched Parks and Recs, Levi?”

Levi stared back, unmoving.

“I’m more of a ‘The Office’ guy.”

Farlan snickered before waving a hand in the air and exclaiming.

“Of course you like that show. It’s satirical and dark humoured like you.”

Eren laughed at Farlan’s statement as Levi frowned.

“..it’s funny.”

Soon enough, the assistant smiled reassuringly at Levi and patted the empty spot on his left.

“I’ve watched The Office as well. I like both a lot. Why don’t you come sit, Levi?”

Staring skeptically, Levi eventually slowly walked over before sitting down on the edge of the couch on Eren’s left side. Eren gave Levi one of his usual crooked smiles before turning to Farlan and conversing with him as he handed his boss the remote.

“Levi’s like a cat, right?”

“A cat?”

“Yeah. He’s all cold and bitter at first but when you get to know him, he’s nice and caring.”

Eren laughed as he subconsciously placed a hand on Levi’s head, long tan fingers threading through the other’s black locks and running up along his undercut. Levi tensed up at Eren’s touch. Eren quickly realized what he did, pulling his hand back a bit. A look of worry flashed over Eren’s face at his boss’ reaction and he grimaced.

“Ah- sorry..I probably shouldn’t do that-”

“I don’t care. Cold and bitter though?”

Cutting off Eren with a warning tone, Levi looked at him with an arched brow as he crossed his legs. Eren only smiled back, laughing.

“You know it’s true. That's what people think of you but I know better.”

Levi felt slightly content at his assistant's words. At this point, Eren had already pulled his hand away and was too wary to continue running his fingers through Levi’s hair. It felt surprisingly soft though and reminded him of the stray black cat he used to see roam around as a kid. Levi probably wouldn’t have been very happy about being compared to a street animal though..

Levi couldn’t help but feel a small sense of regret for reacting like that to Eren. He just wasn’t used to the other’s touch but he didn’t exactly hate it..not that he’d ask the other to start petting him again like some house pet.

Farlan, on the other hand, was unfazed and leaned on Eren’s shoulder before declaring his thoughts aloud.

“I don’t mind if you pat my head, Eren.”

Eren could only roll his eyes as he laughed at Farlan.

“Stop joking, Farlan!”

Deciding to jokingly run a hand through Farlan’s hair, Eren pushed him off his shoulder afterwards before snickering.

Levi’s jaw tightened ever so slightly as he turned away and began surfing through the movies. He quietly chose something to watch as the other two went back and forth with teases and childish jibes at one another.

“You know, you could make a job outta this.”

Eren snorted.

“Out of what? _Head patting_?”

“Yeah. I’m not even kidding. Did you know there’s people you can hire to cuddle with you? It’s a real thing in Japan.”

“Seriously?? How much do they make?”

“I don’t know but it isn’t chump change.”

Farlan wiggled his eyebrows at Eren.

“I’ll be your first customer if you start a business.”

“Oh my god, you’re stupid.”

Cackling at Farlan’s exaggerated, flirtatious joking, Eren slapped the male on the shoulder. He then pretended to be deep in thought before declaring his proposition.

“I’ll do it for like...$1000 an hour.”

Farlan whistled before snapping his fingers.

“That’s quite pricey, wouldn’t you say? But if you’re serious..”

“Stop it.” 

Scoffing at Eren and Farlan, Levi rolled his eyes before casting a look at his assistant.

“You act like I don’t pay you enough, Eren. There’s fucking weirdos and creeps in that kind of job. Don’t do it.”

Farlan frowned before pointing at himself.

“What do you mean? I’m a potential trusted customer here!”

Levi sneered at Farlan before clicking on a movie.

“You’re living proof of my point, you horny bastard. I rest my case.”

Eren laughed and turned to the screen as sound came from the speakers, realizing a movie was playing. He tilted his head in confusion as an ominous sound emitted from the speakers.

“..What is this?”

Levi crossed his arms and leaned back into the couch before muttering a response.

“The Silence of the Lambs.”

Eren’s normally honey toned tan skin had paled by a few shades as he turned to Levi who’s eyes remained glued to the screen. His blood ran cold and his mouth felt dry.

“Like...the horror movie?”

“Yes?”

Levi raised an eyebrow and glanced over at his assistant who seemed on edge.

“...Are you scared?”

“Uh- No! No no not at all..”

Replying quickly in a pitched voice, Eren laughed nervously before swallowing thickly.

.. _okay, maybe he was a little scared...or very scared. He didn’t do well with horror._

“Don’t worry, Eren. You can always cling on to me if you get scared.”

Farlan chided in as he lifted his arms and rested them behind his head, staring at the screen. Eren felt slightly embarrassed about being the tallest one in the room but being the only person that was scared over the movie. Farlan’s teasing joke helped put him in a lighter mood though as he laughed at Farlan’s suggestion. He was honestly warming up to Levi’s friend. He was cool and good looking on top of it. Eren joked back in an exaggerated tone.

“ _Wooow_ thanks, Farlan. How could I ever repay you?”

“You could with your body?”

“Shut up!”

Eren cackled as he smacked Farlan again, earning a grin from the male. Levi rolled his eyes again, trying to focus on the movie. _Why the hell was Eren laughing so much?_ He was getting annoyed by it which was weird considering he usually liked hearing Eren’s laugh. It was warm sounding and nice unlike Hanji's crazy cackles. Levi decided to blame his irritation on the fact that he was trying to focus on the movie even though he had watched it multiple times. Glaring to his right, Levi snapped at the others.

“Are you two going to watch the damn movie or what?”

“Sorry..!”

Yelping an apology, Eren shot a warning look at Farlan before turning to the screen with a hint of a smile on his face.

\-----

“Oh my god..he just ate his face off..I think I’m going to puke..”

Eren murmured and slapped a hand over his mouth as he stared at the screen in horror.

“How can a person eat someone else like that..”

Meanwhile, Farlan and Levi seemed unfazed, both looking at the screen in interest. Farlan turned over to Eren and smirked before whispering not so quietly.

“I mean, I eat people too. Just in a different way if you know what I mean.”

“Oh god, you’re gross..!”

Eren hissed back as he scoffed, smacking Farlan again but in the face with a pillow this time. The other was amused by Eren and only continued speaking.

“Hey, don’t act like you haven’t ever had any action in your life! I mean...if you haven’t, I could help you out with that.”

“Ha-ha, very funny. In your dreams.”

“You hurt me, Eren.”

Faking a sad face, Farlan’s act was quickly broken as Eren snickered and smacked him again with the pillow. In all honesty, he was a bit put off by Farlan at first but the guy was now confirmed to be charming and funny too. Eren felt like they were already good friends and it hadn’t even been a full day yet.

“Are you two going to watch the movie or am I going to have to kick your asses out?”

Growling as he snatched the remote out of Eren’s pillow-hitting reach, Levi glared at the two. For an hour straight, he had to deal with Farlan and Eren’s constant teasing banter and it was putting him at edge. At the edge of a cliff where he wanted to push them both off of that is. He usually was okay with Eren’s company. Found it nice and comfortable even. However, with the combination of Farlan, it made Levi want to tear his hair out.

“Fuck, sorry Levi..”

Realizing his unintentional inconsideration, Eren quickly quieted down as his eyes looked down at the pillow in his lap, like a large dog who got scolded by their owner. Levi cussed internally as he tried to focus on the screen again. He didn’t like it when he made Eren feel bad..he was his friend after all. Farlan on the other hand was more meddlesome but knew when to stop. Humming in acknowledgement, he turned to the screen himself.

\-----

“Jesus Christ, that movie was messed up..”

Eren muttered aloud as the end credits climbed the screen, fingers tightly digging into the pillow in his lap. There was no way he was getting sleep tonight..

“I knew you were messed up Levi but that’s just straight up cold, making Eren watch that.”

Farlan laughed in amusement as Levi shot him a look. Levi simply shrugged.

“It wasn’t that bad.”

His assistant turned to face him with a flabbergasted expression at the response before throwing his hands in the air.

“She had a suit made of woman skin, Levi! _Woman Skin!_ ”

“Well, it kept you on your toes didn’t it?”

A glimmer of amusement shone in Levi’s eye as the corner of his mouth twitched upwards at Eren’s dramatic reaction. Eren let out a scoff before dropping back against the couch and groaning.

“I’m not going to get sleep tonight..”

Farlan didn’t fail to jump in with his own commentary, earning a dark look from Levi.

“You could always try sleeping with me?”

“Shut it, Farlan.”

Levi snapped at his friend before Eren could reply. The assistant laughed before turning to Farlan.

“At least take me out to dinner first, man.”

Eren’s joke made Levi feel a slight twinge of irritance for whatever reason. Everytime Farlan did his usual flirtatious joking antics with people, Levi was used to it, usually ignoring it altogether. Levi previously chalked it up as the movie being the reason for his annoyance but he still was feeling irritated in the back of his head. It was like an annoying itch he couldn’t satisfy. Like a leaking faucet you could hear somewhere in the house but were unable to locate, annoyingly and endlessly dripping as you desperately looked around to find it and make it stop. Finding no reason for in his emotion, Levi quickly decided to shove his unexplainable annoyance the farthest he could into the back of his head. It was fucking ridiculous and was a waste of time to think about. He hated when things made no sense.

While the older man was occupied with his thoughts, Farlan was busy chatting up Eren still.

“Want to exchange numbers?”

“Oh, yeah sure.”

Eren complied enthusiastically as he riddled out his digits to the other and vice versa. It hadn’t even been 24 hours and the two had already given each other their phone numbers. Levi didn’t even have Eren’s until more than half a year into their job..

“I’m going to bed. I don’t need you two messing around in my house while I’m asleep so it’s time to say goodbye to your playdate.”

Levi stated stiffly before standing up. Turning to watch Levi as he walked away, Eren pursed his lips in slight confusion. It wasn’t just him, right? Levi did seem a bit more snappy than usual. But it wasn’t like there was a reason he could think of off the top of his head. Maybe it was just because Levi was sleepy?

Farlan stood up as well and began stretching. Eren followed suit and got up off the couch as well. Turning to Farlan, Eren murmured under his breath in concern.

“Is it just me or is Levi more irritable than normal?”

Farlan simply sighed before shaking his head in disappointment.

“It’s not just you. I’m not sure why though.”

Turning to Eren, he then winked with a grin.

“Maybe it’s cause I stole his best friend for the day.”

The brunette snorted before stretching his arms with a yawn.

“Very funny. I hate to break it to you Farlan but I already have a best friend named Armin.”

Farlan faked a frown.

“Damn, that’s tough luck. Then am I placed above Levi already at least?”

The assistant laughed in disbelief before shaking his head.

“You wish. Levi is a special case. He doesn’t get ranked on a list for me.”

Farlan hummed in amused thoughtfulness at the other’s answer.

“I see..well good thing I’m going to be placed on the “more than friends” list, right?”

Eren scoffed again as he grabbed his keys.

“You’re a funny dude, Farlan. I’ll see you around, yeah?”

“Uh huh, you got it.”

Nonchalantly replying, Farlan then waved before walking down the hallway and out of the living room. Eren then opened the front door, realizing he needed to have the house locked after he left and stopping. Turning around, Eren began to call out.

“Uh hey Farla-”

“What do you need?”

Eren was cut off as a familiar figure appeared, walking up to Eren in the doorway. Levi crossed his arms as he leaned against the frame, staring at his assistant with sharp ashen eyes.

“Oh- just the door..it needs to be locked.”

“And you thought to ask Farlan before the owner of this house?”

Levi furrowed his brows in annoyed confusion as Eren laughed sheepishly.

“I just didn’t want to bother you, Levi.”

The shorter male was silent for a moment before speaking up softly.

“...you’re not a bother.”

Eren felt slightly taken aback to the other’s suddenly soft tone, flushing a bit before tugging at a strand of his hair. For an instant, he felt like there was possible a deeper underlying meaning behind his boss' words. However, Eren shoved that naive thought back down where it came from. Forcing himself to meet Levi’s eyes, he tried to not think of the heat flooding his cheeks as he smiled.

“That’s good at least.”

The two dipped into momentary silence, both sticking around the doorframe as nobody took the initiative to leave yet. Eren looked off in embarrassment before speaking up hastily.

“About the movie..sorry about all the talking. I usually don’t do that, I swear. Farlan was just being a jokester and I couldn’t help but laugh over it.”

Eren let out an awkward laugh as Levi shrugged it off.

“It’s alright. I already watched it before.”

“Oh- Well, that’s good at least.”

“Mm.”

It became quiet again as they both stood there, staring at each other. Feeling self conscious, Eren decided to speak up, pointing behind himself.

“Ah well- I should get going then. I’m sure Armin is wanting me back already. It’s already like ten at night after all..”

Eren jammed his hands into his pocket, smiling down at Levi as his emerald eyes glimmered under the moonlight, pairing beautifully with his pearly white smile.

“I had fun, honestly. We should do this again sometime.”

Levi slowly nodded. He did agree. But not with Farlan next time. Though he left that part unsaid.

“We should.”

Eren beamed at him before he was about to turn to leave. Levi wavered for a split second but decided to brush off his hesitance before the other could disappear. Eren was standing on a porch step as Levi reached out and placed his hand into Eren’s hair. Eren froze for a second as Levi paused, unsure. He eventually decided to continue, running his pale thin fingers through and letting the brown strands twirl around his fingers as he ruffled his assistant’s hair. It was soft and the feeling felt weirdly nostalgic. He wasn’t sure why he was doing it. After all, he wasn’t big on human contact really. But it was different with Eren.

“..drive safe.”

Levi stated gently and pulled his hand back awkwardly. He stood there stiffly as Eren fully turned and stared at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion. In all honesty, Levi wasn’t sure why he did that either. Maybe to return the favor after he mistakenly scared off Eren’s earlier attempt? Levi began feeling a bit of regret however as the other seemed to be stuck in place. Thankfully, the expression on his assistant’s face eventually turned to one of contentment as he smiled at Levi, clearly not minding his touch after all.

“Thanks, Levi.”

Waving at the other, Eren began walking down the pathway, casting Levi one more smile and shouting out before leaving.

“Goodnight!”

Levi crossed his arms, watching Eren as he got into his car and replying softly.

“Goodnight, Eren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You met Mikasa last chapter and now you meet another new character, Farlan. Seems like Farlan and Eren are hitting it off pretty well if you ask me. I wonder how Levi feels about that. 
> 
> Thank you for the 185+ kudos and 3000+ hit! My writing isn't too great but I try and am improving. I also enjoy conversing with you all and will reply your guys' comments so don't be shy and leave me a few words (or a lot).
> 
> Writer problems: I came up with a new idea that would make the story better which means I now have to go back to all the chapters I've drafted out so far and change up everything. Now if only that idea came to me fucking sooner, am I right?


	15. Christmas Lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello one again to a new chapter.  
> Thank you for 200 kudos and 3600+ hits!  
> Enjoy as always.

**Chapter 15**

_Eren’s POV_

“Oi, Armin! Mikasa! Knock it off!”

“No. Not after you’ve been neglecting us for the past few weeks.”

Mikasa replied in a firm tone, grabbing Eren’s jaw and yanking his head to face her own. There it was, slowly inching towards him.

_Oh god….it’s coming..it’s getting near! WAY too near..!_

Frantically monologuing inside his head, his eyes bugged out in horror as the spikey black sword made its way closer and closer..ready to stab Eren mercilessly and void him of vision once and for all. This was it..this was the last few moments of sight Eren was ever going to have.

“Jesus, _Eren._ Would you stop freaking out and sit still for _one second_?”

Mikasa began hissing out in a silent but venomous voice, rolling her eyes.

“It’s just mascara. It isn’t going to hurt you.”

_Oh, right..mascara._

Alright. So _maybe_ Eren was exaggerating the slightest bit about going blind. The assistant grumbled as he begrudgingly let his sister apply a second coat of the product, blinking erratically the moment Mikasa nodded, silently gesturing to give him permission. Turning to Armin, he then huffed before crossing his arms.

“Remind me why I let you guys drag me out of my bed?”

Armin laughed lightly as he flipped another page of the book he was reading, tossing Eren an amused look from his seat.

“Because you owe it to us. Now, you’re going to have to let Mikasa try her new make up on you while I peacefully read Shakespeare for old time’s sake! After all, you’ve been neglecting us and running off in la la land with your boss..”

Upon the mention of Levi, Eren felt his cheeks warm up as his heart ached.

“Shut up, Armin..I already told you that I’m not going to do anything.”

Mikasa then arched a brow at Eren as she dipped into a white powder and began applying it to her brother’s face.

“That run in I had with you two here the other week says differently.”

Armin squeaked at Mikasa’s words, remembering the mentioned event before letting out a whine of dread.

“Oh my god! You couldn’t believe the heart attack I had when Eren told me that Levi came into _our_ apartment! He’s not even my superior but it scared me! I hope he hasn’t silently judged any parts of my side of the room..”

Trailing off as he shook like a leaf, Armin had a horrified expression on his face. On the other hand, Eren simply laughed, earning a look from Mikasa for almost messing up her make up application onto his face.

“Relax, it was an emergency. He totally understood. Not to mention I saw something embarrassing at his house so it’s totally even.”

“Huh? You did??”

At Armin’s bewildered question, Eren paused before realizing his mistake. Shaking his head, he opened his mouth to correct himself. Mikasa pulled away to retrieve another product and the brunette snickered.

“Okay, actually, maybe it doesn’t exactly count since it wasn’t Levi’s. It was this dirty magazine but it belonged to his friend, Farlan, instead.”

Mikasa began popping open a lip gloss and scrutinizing the wand before cool grey eyes darted up to look at her brother.

“..who’s Farlan?”

Armin and Mikasa were both staring at Eren as he shrugged, answering with a nervous laugh.

“Well, like I said, he’s a friend of Levi’s. But we're friends ourselves now. He’s pretty good looking, tall, funny but _really_ flirty.”

“Hmm..”

Mikasa hummed thoughtfully before beginning to apply the lip gloss on her brother. Eren tried not to pull away from the sticky feeling on his lips, silently scowling at the texture. Armin, on the other hand, had tucked his intertwined fingers under his chin. The blond was in deep thought and no longer reading his book. A peaceful silence washed over the three in the apartment living room before Armin spoke up casually.

“..Are you possibly interested in Farlan?”

Thrown off by the question, Eren impulsively whipped his head to face Armin with a look of bewilderment. Mikasa managed to pull away the lip applicator in time with lightning speed to avoid smudging.

“What!?”

Eren sputtered at his friend. _What kind of question was that!?_ Armin sheepishly threw his hands in the air.

“What!? I’m just saying..! You seem to give the guy high praise and I’m _assuming_ the constant ringing from your phone this past hour might be from the same guy you’re mentioning right now..”

At perfect timing, Eren’s phone rang again with another message alert as Armin raised a brow at his friend. He rolled his eyes at Armin’s expression before resentfully snatching his phone, seeing but already knowing that it was indeed Farlan. The other had a habit of sending him countless animal videos and cracking cringey pick up lines at him all the time. Eren’s pursed lips curled into a smile and he laughed at the screen as Mikasa and Armin shared a look. Farlan sent him a video of a seal this time. ([ X ](https://youtu.be/m3L3uuGw1jM))

Emerald eyes pulling away from the screen, Eren noticed the two’s questioning look before scowling and shoving his phone into his pocket.

“What??”

Snapping at his friends, the assistant frowned as Mikasa proceeded to put some pink powder on his cheeks. She seemed to hesitate for a moment but slowly said what was on her mind.

“Well, I just think if you’re giving up on Levi..this Farlan guy seems to be around.”

Eren opened his mouth to retort but found his expression wavering with confliction. It was true that Farlan was definitely attractive but..could he really just try and go for someone right off the bat like that? Eren’s sister then turned over to look at Armin before speaking to him.

“Don’t you agree?”

Armin stared intensely down at his lap, deep in thought before he looked back up at the two. Eren and Mikasa stared back at him with curious looks, waiting for his input. Letting out a sigh at the other two’s anticipating expressions, Armin rapped his knuckles at his open book, answering.

“All I can say is that _technically_ , this Farlan guy might just be the better option and would help distract you..after all, you’re already texting him like crazy.”

Armin let a small laugh escape his lips at his last words as Eren scoffed, throwing his hands in the air.

“No, I’m not. Off my phone right now, see??”

Armin snickered lightly as Eren held up empty hands. Mikasa, on the other hand, was shaking her head with a slightly amused expression. Deciding to use an underhanded method, Eren then glanced at Armin before stating his next line nonchalantly.

“You know, speaking of things..I’ve been talking with Ymir a little..and she was going on about a few employees from our neighboring company that drop by now and then in your guys’ department..”

At the mention of the other company, Armin’s amused expression had been wiped clean off and replaced with wariness. Eren simply smirked before continuing.

“..Yeah, she mentioned this chick that apparently has a real cold attitude. What was it...like Anika...Annita.... or something?”

Armin shut down Eren’s teasing before huffing and speaking up in an embarrassed mumble.

“It’s Annie..”

Mikasa’s eyes widened as she turned around to face Armin again, placing her hands on her hips as she shot him a look of disbelief.

“Are you saying you have a crush and you didn’t tell me, Armin..??”

“Ugh..”

Armin let out an exasperated sound as Eren snickered. The trio knew that Mikasa didn’t work with them and as a result, was insistent on being updated as much as humanly possible to catch up with the other two.

The rest of the next couple of hours were filled with Mikasa’s lectures and Eren’s complaints about the makeup while Armin laughed on the side. Eren smiled softly, staring at the sight of Mikasa and Armin smiling around him. Although the three of them have had their fair share of struggles in life, they were always together and there for each other at the end of the day.

“Eren, maybe you should check your phone..it’s been ringing.”

“Huh..?”

Snapping out of his zoned out gazing of the two at Mikasa’s words, Eren noticed that his phone was lit up with a few notifications through the sheer material of his jeans. _Geez, Farlan didn't care for modesty as always._ Tugging it out, Eren then skimmed over the phone with half lidded eyes.

_Corny pick up line from Farlan...Cat video from Farlan...Monkey video from Farlan...text from Levi…_

_...wait._

Eyes snapping open with alertness, Eren stared owlishly at the lit up screen to see that Levi’s name had indeed popped up. He wasn’t imagining it. Levi wasn’t one to really text often..

Unlocking his phone, Eren chewed on his bottom lip as he clicked on the chat.

 **(11:39pm) Levi:** _are you able to text?_

 **(12:12am) Levi:** _my bad. Ignore the first message._

 _Shoot._ A sinking feeling started up in Eren’s gut as he eyeballed the vague messages, face contorting with slight concern. 

“Eren..?”

Hearing Armin’s voice, Eren snapped his head up as his friends gazed at him curiously, slight concern in their faces.

“Are you okay?”

Armin echoed his worry aloud, causing the brunette to hide his uncertainty over the texts and force out a smile.

“Ah- yeah..just..Levi texted me but I guess it was nothing..”

Mikasa pursed her lips before motioning for Eren to turn the device around. Reading over the recent messages after her brother showed her, she then thought. Finally glancing over at Armin, she began speaking up softly.

“It doesn’t seem like an emergency..”

At Mikasa’s words, Eren faltered momentarily before forcing himself to nod, the motion almost mechanical as he swallowed thickly. What Mikasa said was true..it wasn’t like Levi was texting about anything disastrous. As the two began to pick up where they left the conversation at, the assistant sat there, mulling in concern as the gnawing feeling of anxiety kept chewing at him. As much as the assistant wanted to pay no attention to it, he couldn’t help the what-ifs calling out to him in the back of his mind. What did Levi need to talk about? Was it something important?

Eren glanced at the clock in the kitchen. It was already 12:21am. It was past midnight. Levi was probably asleep right now…

Eren grimaced.

...but he wasn’t. Eren knew that he was just lying to himself at this point. He was well aware Levi had insomnia. There was no way the other was knocked out.

Abruptly standing up, Eren’s sudden action surprised Mikasa and Armin. The two watched with wide eyes as he rushed to the door, fumbling for the car keys in the bowl while grabbing for his shoes. Maybe it was just a gut feeling and maybe Eren was being paranoid but it wouldn't make the feeling in his gut go away. The only way was to go and see for himself that everything was alright.

“Eren..??”

Armin called out to his friend with worry as Eren shook his head, managing to smash his right slipper onto his foot as he proceeded with the other. Armin and Mikasa watched with surprise. Eren suddenly straightened his back, snatching a jacket blindly off the entrance rack and causing it to wobble from the rough momentum. Clearly, he was in a hurry.

“I’m going out.”

Stating with affirmation, Eren swung open the door and left, slamming it shut on the way out before either of the two could say anything. The apartment was silent as Mikasa and Armin stared at the door where Eren was standing moments ago, baffled but not surprised by the other’s sudden scene. It was Eren after all. Turning slowly to face Mikasa, Armin mumbled aloud with a combination of amusement and concern.

“..Does Eren realize he still has a face full of makeup on?”

Mikasa’s eyes slightly widened with realization at Armin’s question, pausing for a good second before slowly shaking her head with an airy laugh.

“I don’t think so but I’m sure whoever he’s running to, will.”

\-----

Eren’s breaths came out ragged as he roughly twisted his car key out of the vehicle and stumbled onto the sidewalk. He had run all the way to his car and went ten miles over the speed limit the whole way over. It wasn't really too risky since it was after midnight and the roads were pretty desolate at this time. Then again, reckless was naturally in Eren's nature. Slamming his door shut, the male winced at the loud bang emitted from his action. Hopefully he didn’t wake any of Levi’s neighbors up. He frantically glanced up and down the street before making his way towards Levi’s house.

Letting out a heavy sigh, the assistant's head was filled with self-doubting thoughts. He was probably a maniac let alone an idiot for blindly making his way to his boss’ house on a late Saturday night for no concrete reason but he couldn’t fight down the feeling that something was off. Worst case scenario, Levi would just yell at him or call him crazy for showing up out of the blue. Eren felt confident enough in their friendship that he wouldn’t get in serious trouble or fired for checking up on the other without warning at least. Already walking extremely fast down the street, Eren eventually grew impatient, giving up his false pretense of composure and began running.

 _Fuck it_ . _The sooner he knew what was up, the better, right?_

Seeing the corner of Levi’s house come into view, Eren’s heart sank as he didn’t see any light shining out from inside. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop him from tearing open the gate and rushing right up to the front of the house. Slowly coming to a stop, Eren gasped for air as he bent over, catching his breath in front of the foot of the porch.

_God, what the heck was he even doing..? He probably looked crazy if anything._

_Levi was probably asleep or not even home! Eren, you idiot! Had you even thought of that?!_

Eren glared at his hands on his knees in frustration between ragged exhales. He didn’t possess the energy to start yelling at himself between his desperate pants for air but he certainly felt more than ridiculous. What was he even trying to do anyway...didn’t he establish to himself that he wasn’t going to do anything outlandish when it came to Levi? Maybe hopeless was just programmed into his head. Along with reckless, that is. Eren stood there, slightly spent as he was in the middle of convincing himself that friends normally ran to each other’s houses in the middle of the night when they were worried for no concrete reason at all. Totally.

“..Eren..??”

Head whipping up at a confused mutter, Eren’s emerald eyes locked with a familiar body.

_oh-_

Levi was right in front of him. He was currently laying down on his front porch, legs hanging off and against the wooden stairs. Sitting up slowly, grey eyes straining to make out his assistant’s figure against the moonlight. Levi sat there in surprised confusion as Eren slowly straightened his back, trying to regulate his breathing. He managed to address his boss.

“...Levi.”

Eren gasped out the other’s name in an airy voice between his hard breathing.

“What are you doing here..?”

Levi asked aloud, at a loss, as he remained frozen on the porch. His voice seemed wary but contained zero aggression. In fact, if Eren knew any better, the other almost sounded shaky. Heavy pants fell out of the assistant’s mouth as he struggled to speak.

“I..I came ru..runni…”

As soon as Eren was able to regain his ability to breath without dying, ocean eyes finally adjusted to the night as they eventually landed on the other’s face.

Eren’s forced out words died on his lips at the sight in front of him.

Thick droplets quivered on Levi’s lower lashes, barely clinging on but remaining afloat under watery grey eyes. Gunmetal silver flickered under the moonlight as pools of tears were on the brink of slipping out, stubbornly keeping up from gravity and refusing to meet pale skin.

Levi was on the verge of crying.

Everything suddenly slowed down as if time stood still. Eren’s irises dilated in utter shock as they trailed down to the tip of Levi’s frostbitten nose which was nipped into a rosy shade from the night’s bitter temperatures. His lips were equally freezed over into a slight purple on top of his red eyes. The other was obviously not okay, lying out in the cold in nothing but a thin long sleeved shirt and pajama pants. Realizing Eren was staring at his undone composure, Levi quickly turned his head away, roughly sniffing as the broken off eye contact jolted Eren back to the present.

_What happened to Levi?_

Eren didn’t know..but he definitely didn’t want to see Levi sad for a second longer.

On instinct, the assistant shrugged off the jacket he snatched last minute out the door, swinging it around and letting the clothing fall over Levi’s shoulders. Levi slightly jolted at the feeling of cotton, looking back up at the other. Eren stood over him, hands shoved into his pockets as he stared at Levi. A torn look of worry for the other was on Eren’s face. Levi stared in shock at the other. It was a bit unexpected for him at how genuinely and strongly concerned Eren seemed to be over him. Maybe emotions like sympathy came stronger when you were younger. Then again, Eren was still an extremity. Teal eyes were shining with sadness as Eren’s brows were furrowed with an alarmed expression. He then began slowly crouching down at the foot of the stairs to meet Levi’s eye level. The night was at peace as the only sounds that broke through were the vibrating chirps of crickets and the assistant’s breathing. Eren tilted his head, eyes softening at the sight of Levi before he spoke up gently.

“..What happened, Levi?”

Overwhelmed by the attention he was receiving, Levi parted his lips but nothing came out. Levi furrowed his brows in self frustration. He wasn’t used to having anybody see him in an uncomposed state this way. Not Hanji, not Erwin and not even Farlan or Isabel. It wasn’t that these people hadn't before, but the way they handled it was very passive and different from Eren, giving Levi space. Nobody had sat down with him and gotten straight to discussing the problem like this.

“..it’s okay. You can take the time you need.”

Eren spoke up again firmly, the sound of Eren’s voice being oddly comforting to Levi’s ears. Raising a hand up to pull at Eren’s jacket, the shorter male felt a bit warmer. Maybe it was the unexpected company or the tranquility of the night that made the tension in his usual nature waver. But the look in Eren’s eyes made Levi feel at ease. Although hesitant, Levi found himself willing to talk a bit. He spoke up gruffly.

“..nightmare.”

Eren didn’t miss a beat in his response.

“About what?”

Levi exhaled sharply before digging the palms of his hands into his eyes.

“..mom.”

Eren’s brows turned upwards at Levi’s response as a sense of understanding could be seen in his expression. Although personal, Levi found he didn't feel the usual sense of panic when talking about such personal subjects to others like he usual. There was something about Eren..he just couldn't put his finger on it. Maybe it was the other's openness or confidence that swayed him to let the words of his past slip out of his mouth. Hesitantly, he continued to speak as his assistant remained silent and listening.

“...she died when I was young. We...we used to live in the slums and her job was prostitution. We couldn’t do anything about it. Eventually, she fell ill and slowly died right in front of me.”

Something in Levi’s face shifted as his lower lip quivered furiously. Eren watched as Levi slowly pulled his hands from his face, staring down at his fingers as they trembled.

Still, he forced himself to continue.

“..Sometimes, I still see her in my dreams. Her decaying body...and the light dying out of her eyes as I could do nothing but watch what was now the shell of her, waiting to follow after..”

Eren’s eyes widened at Levi’s story, thrown off by the tragic childhood. He knew the other had it rough but this...it was just downright cruel.

“Is that why you have insomnia?”

“...I think so.”

Humming in realization, Eren then reached out, buttoning up a single button of the jacket as Levi stared at him quizzically. Eren laughed at the look his boss gave him.

“My mom used to do this so I wouldn’t lose my jackets whenever I bolted off from her as a kid. She pretended the real reason was so that I could have a cool ‘superhero cape’..”

Adjusting the piece of clothing forward, a spark of amusement flickered in Eren’s eyes before he continued.

“..I do it out of an old habit. And the fact that we need to keep it from slipping off cause you’re tiny.”

A flash of warning in Levi’s eyes was shot at Eren as his assistant laughed. Levi replied briskly, momentarily distracted by the teasing remark.

“Well, fuck you too.”

Eren smiled mischievously as he tilted his head, clearly entertained.

“I didn’t say there was anything bad about that.”

Looking over Levi and back at the house, Eren’s brows furrowed in slight confusion.

“..Is Farlan not home?”

Levi pursed his lips, feeling a small unexplainable flick of annoyance at Eren’s question.

“..no. He’s out partying. Probably with women.”

“Oh..”

A look of unsureness crossed Eren’s face at the other’s commentary, causing Levi to feel a bit bad for his cut throat response. He wondered why he said it in the first place. Levi’s mind wandered momentarily, but long enough for him to recall his nightmare. Shivering in distaste, Levi began grabbing at his head and cowering at the remembrance of his mother’s death. No matter how many times he’s had it..the memory and gruesome details never failed to return to haunt him.

_He remembered his bony feet trying to shy away from the damp moldy floor...the sharp bones jutting out of his mother’s remains..._

“Hey..Levi... _Levi..!”_

Eren grabbed the other’s shoulders as he repeatedly yelled out the other’s name. Shaking him roughly, the motion snapped Levi’s attention back to the current moment as wide eyes stared at Eren. Without thinking, Eren moved his hands around his boss’ back, desperate to console him as he yanked Levi into a hug. Levi’s breath stifled at the contact, muscles tensing up as his eyes met the bright moon shining onto his face. The combination of Eren’s soft brown hair brushing against his face and big warm hands encasing his back felt so foreign. It scared Levi how sickenly sweet of a feeling he had pooling in his chest from it.

He hated hugs. He hated talking feelings out. He hated people in his business.

_So why was it that he didn’t hate it when it was with Eren?_

“...it’s okay. I’m not looking.”

Realizing what Eren meant, Levi’s barely contained composure cracked apart. _Was it that obvious?_ _Well..even if it was, it didn’t matter._ Everything he was bottling up came crashing like waves on a rocky shore. Lower lip trembling again as the reflection of the stars in the sky pooled into gunmetal irises, Levi’s shoulders began to shake. He lowered his face, burying it into the crook of Eren’s shoulder. _Fuck, this was embarassing._ In return, the assistant hummed softly as he felt a faint wetness against his neck. Small sharp nails dug their way into the other's back, porcelain fingers catching the ends of Eren’s hair into tightly gripped bunches. It teared at Eren’s heart at how quiet Levi was when crying. As if Levi had taught himself to not make a noise. Staying still until Levi’s shaking frame subsided, the young man then spoke up in a soft murmur.

“..can I pull back?”

Levi paused, unsure momentarily. In the end, he nodded as he croaked out a low, raspy yes. Brown strands of hair uncurled around Levi’s cold thin fingers as Eren’s face was placed directly in front of Levi’s. Levi’s eyes were puffy as he sniffled, finally getting a good, direct look at Eren. Freezing up, Levi forgot about maintaining composure or feeling self conscious at the new sight in front of him. Eren stared back at Levi, visibly confused at the other’s sudden bafflement. Finally, his boss spoke up.

“...why are you wearing makeup?”

_Huh?_

Realizing he had rushed out with a face of makeup from Mikasa, Eren’s eyes widened as he yanked a hand up to his face, sputtering.

“Oh-Shi- Uhh, I forgot I had this stuff on-”

Levi made a face before asking in an uneven, questioning tone.

“....is this a teenager thing?”

Eren flushed in embarrassment before shaking his head and frantically replying.

“Wha- _No!_ It was just Mikasa..but I saw your text and I forgot I had this stuff on..”

Realizing his words were failing him, Eren trailed off as Levi stared at him curiously. Levi could practically see the sweat and panic oozing off of his assistant. The ridiculous display of Eren yelling in glittery lipgloss and long black eyelashes sent the older male into orbit. He couldn’t keep a straight face. A small laugh escaped Levi’s lips as he covered his mouth, eyes slightly squinting in amusement.

“So you rushed out of the apartment in the middle of the night in your pajamas with a full face of makeup to check up on _me_?”

Eren stared back, clearly unfazed by Levi’s satirical tone before nodding innocently and stating his answer as if what his boss stated was normal.

“Yes?”

Levi shook his head, snorting in amusement. Eren was absolutely ridiculous. It made the older man feel confused and a bit comforted. The other was too caring for his own good. Eren’s boss then sighed.

“Eren..I know I’m your boss and I write your checks but I’m just a thirty four year old man who cries from nightmares. I can’t help but be slightly embarrassed to have made you witness such a scen-”

“No, Levi.”

Brows furrowed in confusion, Levi looked back up at a visibly irked Eren who boldly cut him off. He was surprised whenever the other would act more bold. A confident, straightforward Eren was nice to see and Levi didn’t mind it one bit whenever it was occasionally directed at him. Eren didn’t seem to be finished with his response as he continued.

“We’re friends, remember? That’s why I came. Because I felt like something was wrong and I’m glad I did. I look up to you a lot and you’re more important to me than you realize. Because you’re..”

As Eren continued speaking, his voice built up as he looked at Levi with an intense expression. At the last sentence, however, his words died on his lips. Eren's expression changed. 

Levi was so important to Eren..but not like that. It couldn’t be like that.

_The assistant wanted to be the shoulder Levi cried on. The face Levi woke up to. The ears Levi could whisper things to and confide in first._

...but in a friendship type of way..

The words wouldn’t slip out past his lips. He tried to rephrase his words.

“You’re…”

Voice dying before a possible confession could ensue, Eren could only let the words quietly fester away out of fear when seeing the perplexed expression grow on Levi’s face. A Levi who was unknowing and innocent of Eren’s selfish feelings or desires.

“...I’m?”

Levi attempted to help Eren continue but the assistant knew better. Slowly pressing his lips shut, he then looked away with a sad smile before speaking up softly.

“..you’re important.”

Levi silently stared at Eren, grey eyes scrolling over his assistant’s face. He could sense something was off with Eren now. He wasn’t that oblivious.

Slowly pulling himself away from Eren and picking himself up off the porch, Levi then silently walked off to the right, earning a confused look from the assistant. Eren watched as the other trudged off and rounded the corner of his house, disappearing from sight. Suddenly, the assistant was left alone on the porch, the sound of crickets chirping into the night being his only company.

 _Did he just get ditched by Levi at his own house?_ Unsure of what to do, Eren could only stand there awkwardly in his house clothes and a made up face, waiting for Levi to return. Intertwining his fingers, Eren glanced around the neighborhood at the other houses before tilting his head to look up at the night sky. Maybe his recklessness wasn't so bad after all when it turned out the feeling in his gut was right after all. Ocean eyes stared up fondly at the night sky, taking in tiny beads of white flickering amongst the dark canvas. It reminded him of Levi's pale complexion and how it strikingly contrasted from his onyx hair.

_Huh?_

Out of the corner of Eren’s eye, a soft blue light flickered on. He whipped his head around to face it, staring at a bulb he never noticed that was hanging in one of Levi’s shrubs. It hung innocently, slightly swaying back and forth from the gentle winds passing through. Emerald eyes were transfixed by the bright and bold blue emitting from the delicate glass. _Pretty.._

Suddenly, there were warm glowing lights _everywhere_. Although the lawn was bare, the lights hung in vines suspended in the air, their glow cascading onto the ground. Eren’s eyes were lit up in child-like wonder at the beautiful change of setting. The lawn was lit up in a soft swirl of colorful hues. For the first time, Levi’s lawn didn’t seem so desolate. A small breathless laugh escaped the assistant’s lips as he found himself slowly spinning around, watching new colors light up and making themselves known to Eren. Soft forest greens were nestled against the side and contrasted against bright reds and icy blues. Big sunshine orange bulbs winked at Eren as they were gently dripping from smaller purple glows.

It was stunning, absolutely beautiful and most of all, completely unexpected to be seen in a place like Levi’s front lawn. Levi’s place was cold and desolate to Eren but now it was a glimmering paradise, like a small piece of a children’s book coming to life. A small smile played at the assistant’s lips as emerald eyes drank in the vibrant colors painting the pavement and tall grass beneath his feet in bright lights. His heart raced with joy at the mere sight of the colorful light show he was dropped in.

“You like?”

Hearing an amused low chuckle, Eren’s eyes slowly pulled away from the ethereal setting to the voice’s owner. Levi had now returned from the side of the house, standing on the other side of the lawn. Ocean eyes crinkled in a soft joy as soon as they met Levi’s face, a grin splitting onto Eren’s face as he nodded.

“Yes, very much. How come you never told me you had this set up??”

Levi seemed entertained by his assistant’s childish amusement. He kicked at a stray rock on the ground as he replied softly. His content expression turned into one of sadness.

“Because I was never going to turn them on again..I was surprised they even worked now.”

The smile on Eren’s face faltered as his expression switched to one of concerned curiosity. Turning to face the other, the assistant then spoke up in a gentle voice.

“..Why is that?”

Pausing, Levi kept his eyes glued to the kicked rock on the ground as he whispered aloud to Eren.

“They were from a promise made between my mother and me and I..I can only remember the promise we made to use the lights together on Christmas and how I was never able to keep that vow every time I saw them.”

Eren stared back at Levi, watching the other keep his head hung and refusing to look around at the scenery like his assistant was. Realization dawned over Eren.

_Levi was having a hard time looking around because he felt guilty for enjoying the lights without his mother._

Expression switching to one of determination, Eren then trudged across the lawn, suddenly grabbing Levi’s shoulders. The sudden and bold contact made Levi jump.

“Levi.”

“..what?”

Asking in a dejected tone, Levi lifted his head slightly up to meet Eren’s face but he was still not bothering to look at the view around them. Eren gazed at Levi’s slightly puffy eyes to his flushed complexion. It teared at Eren’s heart to see the other looking so roughed up still. His clenched his jaw before looking down at his own pants. Levi watched with confused interest as his assistant eventually yanked out his phone. Walking away from Levi, he then stared at his lit screen before setting the mobile device on the porch. Levi watched, visibly lost, as Eren walk back to where he was. The two of them were now standing in the center of his desolate lawn, joined together once again.

Suddenly, Levi let out a gasp as he felt a searing warmth shoot down his lower back. Eren’s arm had wrapped firmly around Levi's waist, his other arm lifting to grab the other's right hand. His assistant pulled him in. Levi could only stand there, stunned with wide eyes as he stared at Eren’s long tanned fingers intertwined with his pale, skinny ones, their hands firmly clasped. He couldn’t help but think that their hands together didn’t look bad. It seemed like Eren was just a lucky bastard to be able to not trigger Levi’s fight or flight. An unexpected special exception for breaking down Levi’s barriers. Feeling slightly awkward but compliant, Levi cleared his throat and spoke up in a wavering tone.

“..What are we doing?”

Levi’s face was flush against Eren’s chest from the position they were in. Feeling the gentle rumble of his assistant’s laugh vibrate to his chest against the older man’s face, Levi felt slightly conscious from the close contact, cheeks dusted in a slight pink. His senses felt heightened and the other’s close contact was overwhelming him. The heavy, strong beat of Eren’s heart. The unbearably warm heat spreading from their bodies pressed together. Even his assistant’s charming laugh sent a pool of heat down Levi’s gut as Eren’s gentle, reassuring tone filled his ears.

“We’re dancing..I hope you don’t mind. I feel like it would be easier to dance for the both of us if you were the woman since you’re smaller.”

All of a sudden, a soft strumming played from the porch. ([ X ](https://youtu.be/d0PDz7tShx0))

Levi sharply inhaled as Eren suddenly moved back, quickly picking up and following after his assistant as they shifted. The two slowly made their way from the center, going around the lawn as the music carried. Truthfully, Levi felt a bit ridiculous dancing when refusing to look in any of the directions they were going. Nonetheless, he remained silent, clumsily following Eren’s steps as they awkwardly danced in the middle of his lawn. Processing the words being sung, Levi felt slightly self conscious by the bittersweet words. His heart ached as he realized this was a song Eren decided to play.

♪ It's not true

Tell me I've been lied to

Cryin' isn't like you

Ooh

What the hell did I do?

Never been the type to

Let someone see right through

Ooh ♪

After a few more steps, Levi felt a bit more confident in his steps, the awkward pauses and hesitations between their movements fading away as the soft tune hummed out to them from the porch, carrying their movements. Finally, Levi managed to speak up.

“..why are we dancing?”

Asking slowly, Levi questioned against Eren’s chest as they took a step to the right. Eren laughed again. The vibration emitted from the assistant’s chuckles and speaking felt inexplicably pleasant against Levi’s face as he rested on the other’s chest.

“Because..this was a broken promise I made with my mother as well.”

Levi swallowed thickly, a pang of confusion and empathy welling up in him at Eren’s words. The cold air that previously nipped at his face was gently brushed away from the warmth of Eren’s body against his.

“What was your promise?”

Eren hummed, pausing momentarily to collect his words before replying.

“My mother loved to dance around in the house but my father was almost never home because of his job. Even when she was sick, I hated seeing my mom try to dance all alone and sigh wistfully when she thought I wasn’t looking..so we made a deal to have a slow dance together whenever we both had a rough day. I just wish we could have had one more time.”

Levi listened intently, feeling hurt for Eren’s personal loss as the brunette managed to tell his story in a cheery voice despite the painful recollection.

♪ Maybe won't you take it back?

Say you were tryna make me laugh

And nothin' has to change today

You didn't mean to say, "I love you"

I love you and I don't want to...

Ooh ♪

Slowly, it didn’t feel so awkward being pressed up against Eren. It felt almost like...it was right. Like Levi belonged there.

Eren looked down upon Levi’s head, absolutely adoring the way the lights bounced off Levi’s jet black hair to the soothing coolness of the other’s face against his chest. Levi was _absolutely_ beautiful, in every single way. The assistant didn’t need to spare a glance at Levi’s face to know he might possibly...love him as a person. He loved every bit of Levi, down to the other’s fingertips. God was the creator of life but Levi was the creator of Eren’s want to live. Eren had never picked up a damn pencil in his life but knew he had found his muse. A smile naturally slipped onto the young man’s face as he looked down at the other’s figure against his. His heart was full in this moment. This moment where there was nobody else but the two of them. He wanted to live in this illusion forever. Maybe he couldn’t have him or love him romantically but this...this was okay.

Because all that mattered was that Levi was okay.

Eren then spoke up again, a wistful undertone to his words.

“That’s why..”

Eren trailed off and abruptly pushed forward, causing Levi to lose balance and yelp as he fell back into a dip. Suddenly, Levi’s eyes accidentally went up and finally off Eren’s body as his head was thrown back.

Grey eyes finally locked with the scenery of his mother’s lights for the first time. Lights she spent weeks saving up spare change for with the small promise of enjoying them together with her boy on his birthday. Lights she would point at in the storefront glass window in awe and turn to smile at her little son as they admired them. Bright colorful lights floated all around Levi as his lips unconsciously parted in wonder, a soft gasp leaving them. Soft hues of purples and oranges bounced off Eren’s face as bright sparkling emerald irises crinkled at Levi in joy of his mesmerized reaction. He almost mistook his assistant’s vibrant eyes for the lights as well.

Levi swallowed thickly, eyes tearing up again.

_Were his mother’s lights always this beautiful..?_

It felt like Levi was in a movie, breath hitching at the sight of Eren’s charismatic smile and the other’s arm fastened around his boss’ waist. Soft brown strands slipped loose from the assistant’s ears. They tickled the edges of Levi’s face as Eren finished his sentence after the dip.

“...we both need to live our promises out in remembrance of them.”

For a moment, Levi couldn’t help but think that the lights weren’t the only breathtaking view. Seeing the genuine joy on Eren’s face simply because of himself made Levi’s heart stir; regardless if Eren was a man. Breathing shakily, Levi couldn’t pull his eyes away from his assistant’s eyes who were so full of life and...affectionate. Finding himself unfathomably wanting the moment to last longer, Levi subconsciously murmured out a question to which he couldn’t care less what the answer was.

“..what song is this?”

Eren stared back, face centimeters away as he held Levi from the ground. His expression looked loving as a sad smile was plastered on his face. He spoke up softly in a needing voice.

“ _..I love you_.”

“Huh..?”

Replying with a bewildered questioning, Levi’s eyes widened at Eren’s words. His heart pounded in his chest.

_What was Eren saying..?_

Suddenly, Levi was yanked back up. Still firmly clasped in Eren’s arm, Levi’s grey eyes were alight with confusion as Eren seemed to have composed himself. The assistant cleared his throat and loosened his grip on Levi, the cold crawling back into the older male’s limbs. Eren spoke up in a less endearing voice than before as he laughed nervously, his tone almost strained.

“..that’s the name of the song...I love you.”

Levi stood there dumbly, staring at Eren. His assistant flushed and scratched the back of his neck.

_Oh._

Realizing that the other’s response was the answer to his question, the shorter male suddenly stiffened up in embarrassment. A light flush dusted his cheeks as he backed up out of Eren’s arm, the assistant’s hand slipping off from around his waist as a result.

“A-ah..I see..”

The two stood across from each other, both equally embarrassed as they looked around at the lights. Both were occasionally trying to sneak glances at one another for their counterpart’s reaction from the current situation.

Eventually, Eren decided to break the tension first, slowly walking back to the porch and grabbing his phone.

“Um..Armin and Mikasa are probably wondering where I am..I should get going.”

“Ah..yeah.”

Levi could only reply numbly as the other pocketed his phone and fished out his car keys. Levi felt a bit regretful of his impulsive response, wanting the other to stay longer for whatever reason. However, Farlan was likely due to arrive back home soon anyways. Before Eren left however, he turned to his boss one more time, questioning him with a small smile.

“..are you feeling okay though, Levi?”

Levi paused. Staring around at the lights, he then turned back to Eren. Eventually, a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he looked at the worried man.

“I feel a lot better...thank you, Eren.”

Hearing Levi’s words brought a relieved smile to the assistant’s face as he clasped his car keys. Although it was unsaid, both knew that tonight had brought them a lot closer to each other than ever. Unknown to each other, both were experiencing the same bittersweet feeling when it came to the other person. Levi watched Eren’s retreating figure, a raw uneasiness pulling at his chest as he stood under the lights.

He had never had many friends but when it came to Eren, it felt different from his other relationships. He couldn’t explain it but he knew it to be true. At this point, there was no denying it. Levi glanced around at the lights one last time before hesitantly retreating to the side of the house and shutting them off.

They seemed a lot more colorful when Eren was next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this is currently my favorite chapter I've written so far in this story and I hope I was able to convey the feelings and imagery well enough into writing. Sometimes, it's the little moments or gestures in our lives that make us rethink the rest of it. :)  
> Here is a little picture as reference that I thought matched well with this fluffy as hell chapter. [X](https://twitter.com/_ON0N_/status/1302223412094332928?s=20)


	16. Are You..?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers,
> 
> Surprise. You are getting an early update on Friday instead of Saturday because I have a surgery tomorrow first thing in the morning and wouldn't want you guys to have to wait halfway throughout Saturday when I can just release it slightly earlier.
> 
> I hope you guys are well and here's to hoping my procedure turns out successful. 👍🏻

**Chapter 16**

_Levi’s POV_

“Good Morning, Levi”

Farlan rocked his chair back, reading another playboy magazine as Levi walked into the kitchen, eyes weighed down with fatigue and barely conscious.

“Morning.”

Rumbling out a tired greeting, Levi immediately went for his tea drawer, preparing his go-to drink to help sedate his exhaustion. He turned on the water boiler before pawing the counter for his phone, checking the time and his emails. Levi had a spam of texts from Hanji as usual, ranging from funny videos to obscene facts, and a text from Petra asking for his opinion on wedding invitations. It was 7AM on a Tuesday morning.

It had been a couple weeks that Farlan had been staying at his house on and off. There were nights he didn’t come home, going god knows where. Regardless, Levi always made sure Farlan cleaned himself thoroughly from head to toe before touching anything in Levi's home upon return. Levi didn’t care to ask and Farlan didn’t care to tell. If it weren’t for their past and old professions, they would have likely never become friends. But here they were, still in contact as adults with Farlan never failing to drop by occasionally. Levi felt content as he remembered past experiences together. Although the times were dark, the friendship was always unwaveringly there. His thoughts then moved to Isabel. He hadn’t seen her in a while but like Farlan, she was bound to show up any moment. Sometimes, all three of them managed to unintentionally be at his house. She was probably off traveling and doing crazy things like usual. Ever since they made it out of the slums, things had turned a full 180 for each of them. Farlan didn’t bother Levi anymore as he went about making his drink. The other knew better than to harass his grumpy friend before he had his daily cup.

When Levi finally turned around, earl grey tea in hand, Farlan looked up from his lazy skimming of the photos at his friend. Photos from his well-used playboy magazine. Levi always found it funny how Farlan would come off so flirtatious and high in sexual libido but was more so begrudged about how he himself had gotten used to the other's antics.

“So...off to work?”

Levi took another long sip of his tea, the steamy liquid burning his throat in a comforting way as it went down. He replied briskly.

“..well, I’m not going to the strip club.”

“Ouch, you hurt me!”

Replying to the dry joke, Farlan chuckled before leaning forward and changing his chair to upright. He then dropped his elbows on the table, chin resting in his hands as he stared at Levi. Levi narrowed his eyes, staring back questionably as he roughly spoke up again. He knew that look when he saw it. Farlan wanted to say something.

“What is it?”

“I was just wondering if I could tag along.”

Levi was slightly taken aback at the request. Making a face, he set his tea down and crossed his arms. Taking a good look at Farlan, he furrowed his brows in confusion.

“Why the fuck would you want to go to my workplace?”

Farlan then went back to rocking in his chair and grinned.

“I just wanted to see what it looked like, you know? Also, I had plans out there anyway.”

Levi’s confusion only grew as he frowned at his friend.

“Plans? By my workplace? What kind of fucking plans do you have out there?”

Farlan hummed in amusement before snapping and pointing a finger gun at Levi.

“Date with Eren.”

A pause of silence came over them. Levi stiffened up as he hollowly repeated Farlan’s words.

“A date.”

A sick dredging feeling festered in his stomach. Levi knew the two had been texting back and forth but he had no further information about the two. He wasn’t going to hound Eren or Farlan about it. After all, they were all adults. Then again, Farlan was always one for jokes..sometimes he couldn’t tell what the other was trying to do. It was infuriating.

Farlan then flashed one of his charming smiles before standing up from his chair.

“Yeah, so I thought I’d make it more convenient and get down there together with you anyways.”

Levi narrowed his eyes, jaw clenched as he inspected his friend.

He didn’t like it. He didn’t know why but he didn’t like it. It was likely because he knew of Farlan’s tendencies to screw around. That was it.

“..Farlan, you and I have known each other for a long time.”

Pursing his lips, Levi spoke up in a warning tone.

“..I don’t want you messing with Eren just to drop him at the slightest inconvenience if you’re not joking. He’s my friend and assistant. I don’t need problems in both my work life and personal.”

Farlan simply scoffed at him, shaking his head.

“Levi, you know me. I may tease a lot but I’m not a straight up douchebag. I don’t screw around with anybody unless we're on the same page about things.”

Something in Levi’s gut still felt off but he simply nodded at the other’s reassurance. It was what he was wanting to hear after all..right?

\-----

“Who’s that, Levi!?”

Hanji hissed excitedly under her breath as she sat on the corner of Levi’s desk. Her eyes were shining in anticipation for her friend’s answer. Levi scowled, trying to focus on filing his papers. He looked up in the direction Hanji was pointing to see Farlan leaning against a desk Eren was sitting at, chatting him up with a grin. Eren was smiling back, rolling his eyes as Farlan said something (probably another teasing joke) then playfully punching him. His lips were pressed tightly together as Levi looked back down at his papers. He replied to Hanji in the most uncaring tone he could.

“My friend, Farlan. However, he seems to have taken a liking to Eren too.”

“Oh! _That_ Farlan? Interesting seeing one of your old friends in the flesh!”

Letting out a breathy gasp, Hanji continued to stare at the two in fascination. Levi was struggling to focus on his paper, slightly peeved by her unnecessary commentary.

“He’s quite a handsome fellow..”

As Hanji murmured in amusement, Levi shot her a look and sharply exhaled.

“Is that all you came in here for? I’m trying to work, shitty eyes.”

“Well, you can’t blame me for being curious! After all, you walked in with him this morning but he’s been glued to your assistant’s side all day!”

“They’re going out for a ‘lunch date’ apparently.”

Enunciating the word ‘date’ in a slightly mocking manner, Levi shoved the papers in his hand roughly into a drawer before looking for the next to work on. Hanji stared at him with wide eyes.

“Date..? Wait…”

Staring at the two with wide eyes, she then whipped her head back to Levi.

“So Eren _is_ gay??”

Levi fucked up. Realizing his mistake, he could only remain frozen as he stared back at Hanji. Jaw tightened, Levi gritted his teeth before speaking up in a barely audible whisper.

“...I didn’t mean to let that slip.”

Hanji stared back at him with wide eyes before alarmingly hissing.

“Wait..! Was that supposed to be a secret!?”

Levi’s face was practically white as he paled at the realization of his mistake. Pinching the bridge of his nose tightly, he cussed sharply under his breath before intensely staring at Hanji.

“..You can’t tell _anybody_. If you do, I’ll knock you out so hard, you’ll forget your own name.”

Hanji snickered at Levi’s threat, smacking him on the back.

“Oh stop it, my pocket-sized satan! You know I wouldn’t tell a soul.”

Feeling slightly more relieved at Hanji’s assurance, Levi still felt like shit for spilling Eren’s secret. A part of him even was a bit upset about it. After all, it was something that was only between the two of them. Something Eren trusted him with. Either way, he was going to have to suck it up and tell Eren what he did. Looking back over at Eren and Farlan, he watched as Farlan swung an arm around Eren’s shoulders, the other wearing a grin that stretched wide. As far as Levi could remember, Eren never really smiled as much around him as he did with Farlan. Then again, Levi wasn't exactly all rainbows and sunshines when it came to personality...it wasn't like he wasn't self aware. But he liked seeing his assistant smile, especially when Levi himself was the cause. It made him feel a small swell of accomplishment whenever he was able to turn Eren’s mouth upwards and get his eyes to crinkle in the corners out of joy.

“Levi.. _LE! VI!!”_

“Huh- what??”

Blinking a couple times as Hanji’s hand waved up and down in front of his face, he turned and scowled at his friend. She only snickered before placing her hands on her hips.

“You seem to be focusing on what’s outside your door rather than the papers in your hand..”

Levi simply glared at her before looking down and focusing his intense stare at the letters below him instead.

“I don’t have a clue what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Oh?”

Crooning as she leaned down, Hanji smirked before cupping Levi’s ear and speaking knowingly.

“Are you maybe jealous that Eren has taken your friend?”

Levi ignored her, grey eyes skimming the fine lines. Seeing Levi remain silent, Hanji then hummed with amusement before speaking up again in a teasing tone.

“..or is it maybe the other way around?”

Gritting his teeth, Levi whipped his head to the left, glaring at his friend before growling. That was enough from Hanji for the day if not the entire month.

“Stop spouting nonsense. Out of my office. _N-o-w_.”

Seeing Levi really was about to snap, Hanji cackled before pushing up her glasses and waving.

“Alright, alright! I’ll annoy you when we're off work!”

As soon as she skipped away, Levi blankly stared down at his paper. For whatever reason, deep down, he felt like Hanji had struck a chord. _Was he jealous?_ It wasn’t like Eren didn’t have other friends..Maybe because it was Farlan? Did he feel excluded for whatever reason? It wasn’t like Levi had ever really felt down or sad whenever Farlan or Eren went off to go do things with other people..

“Mr. Ackerman?”

Hearing a purr and a knock on the doorframe, Levi looked up to see Nifa. She stood there with a smile, dressed in sheer stockings and a tight beige skirt that barely covered her ass. Her white button up blouse was also unbuttoned at the top, revealing cleavage. Levi didn’t know if she was just a very liberal dresser or if she was trying to get into gold digging by trying to get _him_ to dig into her. If it was the latter then her plan was already set up for failure with his current situation.

“Yes, Nifa?”

“Oh, well I noticed it was lunch time and you’re alone for once..”

Trailing off with a coy smile, Nifa walked up to his desk, looking down at him with big yellow eyes. At Nifa’s statement, Levi looked over at his clock to see that it was indeed five minutes past twelve. Usually, Eren would be in his office, right at the dot, to pester him with some stupid idea or crazy scenario. But not this time obviously. In between looking from the clock and back to the ginger female, Levi noticed two big green eyes staring in his direction. It seemed like his assistant was staring at Nifa and him. As soon as Levi locked eyes with him, however, Eren quickly looked away and back at Farlan with a sheepish smile. Levi scowled under his breath, causing Nifa’s eyes to widen. Realizing his unintentional scare, he held up a hand.

“Sorry. It wasn’t directed at you. My mind was focused elsewhere for a second.”

“Oh..?”

Trailing off in a slightly curious tone, Nifa stood there, glancing around the office. As soon as she opened her mouth, another knock echoed throughout the room, grabbing the two’s attention as they looked at the entrance. Farlan was there with his usual charismatic smile as Eren stood slightly behind him. Levi wasn’t sure if he was imagining it but the brunette looked a bit bothered for some reason. Farlan, on the other hand, decided to be excessively flirtatious as usual.

“Who’s this pretty little thing you have here, Levi?”

Letting out a light laugh at Farlan’s compliment, Nifa crossed her arms before jutting out her hip.

“I could say the same about you, handsome.”

Arching a brow, Farlan chuckled.

“I guess I’m not the only natural smooth talker in the room now. Right, Eren?”

Eren scoffed and shook his head in disappointment.

“You lay it on too thick if you ask me.”

“Hey now, it still gets you smiling.”

Nifa stood by, silently watching the interaction. Deciding to get back to her initial intent, she then turned back to Levi with a sweet smile.

“Ah about why I came here, Mr. Ackerman..are you free for lunch?”

“Lunch?”

Echoing Nifa, Levi looked up from his papers with a questioning expression. Was the other asking him out to eat? It was true he never pegged her as shy in any way but even this invitation was more forward than he’d have expected from her.

“Uh- Levi is eating with us!”

Blurting out quickly, Eren seemed to have only realized his words after they left his mouth. Pressing his lips tightly together, he remained on edge, fingernails digging into his palms as the rest of the people in the room stared back at him. Nifa arched a brow, visibly skeptical while Farlan and Levi stared at the assistant in surprise. Levi didn’t remember being told he was supposed to go with them. Farlan was quick to lighten the mood and spoke up with an awkward laugh, breaking the silence.

“Ah, well, we can all go out to grab something if that’s alright with everybody.”

Turning to look at everybody in the room, Farlan joked with a laugh.

“Double date, am I right, guys?”

“..hmm.”

Staring back at Farlan with a thinking expression, Nifa seemed unsure but complied nevertheless. Levi, however, wasn’t as turned off by the group lunch as he would think himself to be. In fact, he felt a bit content about the fact that the brunette suddenly included him for whatever reason.

“Eren and I were headed to that Meditteranean place down the street. Any complaints?”

Levi and Nifa both shook their head, receiving a grin from Farlan as he waved them on.

“Alright then, let’s get walking!”

Levi got up from his chair as Nifa was already walking out. Farlan followed suit and Levi after. Walking to the doorway, he glanced over at Eren who seemed awfully silent. His assistant was looking away, seemingly upset. Before Levi could open his mouth and ask what was wrong, the taller male left the doorway, following Farlan.

_..well, maybe he could ask later._

\-----

The four sat at a booth, Farlan and Eren on one side while Levi and Nifa were on the other. Levi and Eren were both seated on the outside, across from each other. Looking up above the menu, Levi glanced at his assistant who seemed bothered about something still. Eren was staring intensely down at the menu, earning a sarcastic comment from his boss.

“If you stare at that menu any harder, you’re going to burn a damn hole through it, Eren.”

Head jerking up at Levi’s comment, Eren’s big green eyes widened a fraction before he let out an embarrassed breathy laugh.

“Ah..just wasn’t sure what to get.”

Feeling relieved at the sight of Eren’s smile, Levi was quick to offer a suggestion.

“Get Combo B.”

Eren looked at him in surprise.

“You’ve been here before?”

“Yes, with Petra.”

The smile on Eren’s face seemed to waver for a split second.

“Oh..I see.”

Levi furrowed his brow in confusion. Was Erwin right about Eren and Petra too..? But for what reason would Eren have an issue with her?

Nifa cleared her throat, grabbing Levi’s attention as she leaned in towards him with the menu.

“What would you suggest for me, Mr. Ackerman?”

“Combo B.”

Repeating the same answer, Levi furrowed his brows at Nifa as she muttered an ‘okay’ and looked away, displeased. Well, it was what he genuinely suggested. He didn’t know what else she wanted him to say. He wasn’t exactly aiming to humor her either.

When the waiter came up, Nifa and Eren both ordered the same combo while Farlan and Levi decided to go with different dishes.

“Alright, I’ll bring out the food as soon as it's ready!”

The waiter smiled before snapping his notepad shut and walking off, leaving the group in momentary silence. Farlan fiddled his thumbs before slowly speaking up.

“So, what do you do at the office, Nifa? Do you also work for Levi.”

Nifa interlaced her fingers and smiled at the other.

“No, I work for Hanji Zoe. But I wouldn’t mind working for Levi..”

Trailing off with a smirk, she seemed to slightly lean in closer to him. Levi simply ignored it, not getting closer or backing up himself. Looking over at Farlan, Nifa then asked him in an innocent tone. However, the question itself seemed to be a grab for figuring out if Farlan was well-off himself.

“What do you do, Farlan...?”

“Farlan Church is the full name, darling. I’m an entrepreneur.”

“Oh..I see..”

A hint of interest flickered in Nifa’s eyes. Levi could only scoff internally. Sure, the female was conventionally attractive and considered sexy even but there was undeniably a lurking hunger for power and money in her nature. It wasn’t a quality he’d chastise her for. After all, Levi was a businessman himself. The chase for those factors was one everybody at the table was a victim to, whether they liked it or not. Ah..well, except for Eren that is. Glancing at Eren, Levi remembered the companionable conversation they had that day they drove out. Funnily enough, Eren seemed to strive for success but lacked the greedy hunger for materialistic things that everybody else at the table possessed. A trait that Levi found weird but refreshing.

“Any plans today, Mr, Ackerman?”

Nifa’s sudden question pulled Levi out of his train of thought. He looked over to realize that Farlan and Eren were now talking amongst themselves and Nifa was now going back to him to have conversation.

“No. You?”

Replying curtly, Nifa seemed unfazed by Levi’s response as she suddenly started rambling at the question. A long list of complaints and plans spilled endlessly from her lips as Levi pretended to listen, finding it a bit too easy to zone out. His eyes couldn’t help but wander across the table as Farlan and Eren began discussing excitedly about the upcoming holidays.

“..I know, right!? Maybe I’m a bit childish for liking it but I really do enjoy the end of the year where there’s a bunch of holidays!”

“That makes two of us, Eren, don’t worry. Halloween is next week too and I’m not complaining.”

“I agree. Free candy and dressing up is pretty cool.”

“I was thinking more about the costumes...free eye candy when chicks wear those sexy versions of characters, am I right?”

“Oh my god, of course you’d say that..”

Eren scoffed and shook his head as Farlan chuckled and took a sip of his water.

“Hey, I’m just being honest, here.”

Leaning in and elbowing the brunette, Farlan smirked.

“What about you? Gonna wear something _special_?”

A laugh escaped the assistant’s lips as he scrunched his nose.

“You wish, pervert.”

Farlan grinned back, leaving Levi feeling a bit on edge. At this point, he was listening in on their conversation more than his own. Thankfully, Nifa didn’t even notice and Levi was sharp enough with his senses to know to look back at her as soon as he heard her voice come to a stop. She took a sip of her water, glancing over and listening in on the end of their talking.

“..Are you talking about Halloween?”

Farlan and Eren stopped playfully bantering to turn to her. Farlan nodded with a grin.

“Yes, ma’am. Plan on dressing up yourself?”

Nifa’s expression changed to a mischievous one as she smirked, stirring her water with the straw.

“Of course. I will probably choose something that shows quite a bit of skin.”

Glancing to her right, she then purred at Levi.

“Any suggestions, Mr. Ackerman?”

Levi wasn’t sure how to respond, taken aback slightly by her boldness. It seemed that Nifa was being extremely upfront more than once today. Meanwhile, Eren was shifting slightly in his seat, looking away.

“...I wouldn’t know.”

Levi replied dryly, earning a small frown from Nifa. She sighed and turned back to face Farlan. Just then, their food arrived.

“Alright, folks. Lunch is ready!”

As the waiter placed their dishes down, Levi stared down at his plate. The restaurant was nice and he went here of his own will. It was an established and decent quality. So, why was it that he was preferring the diner experience where there was fat, greasy burgers and fries with Eren? As they all began eating their food, Farlan glanced over at Eren’s plate.

“Want to exchange some of my dish for yours?”

Eren looked up from his plate with a spoonful of his meal already in his hand. He was quick to agree, smiling at Farlan yet again.

“Sure, why not?”

Farlan grinned before pointing at Eren’s hand.

“Why don’t you let me try it first?”

“Huh?”

Grabbing Eren’s hand, the taller male was a slightly surprised as Farlan quickly guided the spoon towards his own hand, stealing the assistant’s bite. Levi’s jaw tightened at the interaction, his grip around his own fork unconsciously tightening. He did that with Eren at the diner.

Nifa, on the other hand, was obviously curious as she rested her chin on her right hand and arched a brow.

“..Are you two dating?”

Levi turned to look at her, one of his eyebrow arching at her forwardness. Eren slightly flushed, obviously flustered. The reaction made Levi feel a bit sour but he shoved the emotion down, waiting for Eren’s response. Levi needed the answer from Eren. As the assistant opened his mouth to reply, Farlan suddenly pulled Eren into a headlock and smiled foolishly at Nifa.

“And what if we are? There a problem?”

Nifa quickly recoiled, eyes dropping down to her plate as she muttered ‘no’.

Farlan kept a shit-eating grin on his face as he finally let go of Eren and the brunette rubbed his neck, frowning.

“Eren and I are planning to have a shotgun wedding in Vegas at a three star hotel and get ten kids so we can raise our own professional football team.”

Eren sputtered at the other’s declaration. He then scoffed before smacking Farlan on the shoulder, making a face.

“Since when did we agree on that??”

Levi’s left eye twitched at the commentary but he decided not to say anything. Instead, he internally rolled his eyes and stabbed hard at a piece of lamb on his plate. Okay, maybe Hanji was right for once in her damn life. Maybe Levi _was_ the smallest bit ticked off that Farlan had gone right over him and nabbed Eren for himself. Eren was _his_ first. His first friend...that is. Placing a hand on Eren’s thigh, Farlan winked cheekily at him.

“Since day one, precious.”

Jumping at the touch of Farlan’s thigh, the brunette flushed and almost dropped his fork. _Were they that close already?_ Levi was irritated.

“Can you two just behave and eat?”

Snapping at Farlan and Eren, Levi stared them down, visibly vexed. His assistant glanced at Levi sheepishly and turned his attention back to his own plate. He mumbled one last line before taking a bite of his meal.

“I don’t even like football..”

Unfazed, Farlan maintained his cocky attitude, suddenly grabbing Eren’s chin. Jerking Eren’s face towards him, Farlan let out a light chuckle. Nifa and Levi both stared across in shock as Levi stiffened up at the sight, throat feeling tight. Farlan crooned and leaned in with a smirk, almost touching Eren’s lips as the assistant stared back at him with those big emerald eyes. 

“But you like me, right?”

 _He didn’t like it._ _He really didn’t like it._

It was all Levi could think as a sudden anger seared through his body.

“Can you two ever _fucking_ knock it off!?”

Suddenly, Levi’s hands slammed down on the table as he spat out his words, making everybody else jump and look at him, bewildered. Fingers digging into the cloth, he glared at Eren and Farlan before straightening his back and shoving his hand into his trouser pocket.The table was silent for once, everybody staring at Levi in shock. The anger that was boiling in Levi had slightly resided as quickly as it had built up in the first place, making way for slight self-distaste at his own brash behavior. Levi didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to deal with this annoying feeling gnawing at him.

“..I’m going for a smoke.”

Levi stated coldly as he roughly snatched his phone. As bad of a mood as he was in, he couldn’t help but glance at his assistant. Unable to keep himself from looking across the table, he felt a sting of remorse when his eyes met Eren’s. Eren who was currently looking up at him with those big ocean eyes, hurt by the other’s outburst. He stared at his boss as if he had been personally wounded by Levi’s outlash. He faltered a bit. It was never his intention to be the cause of that expression on Eren’s face. Internally grimacing, Levi shoved any repentance he had into the back of his head. As much as Levi felt bad, he just couldn’t deal with it at the moment. Eren had Farlan anyways. Levi just needed to clear his head.

\-----

_Eren’s POV_

Lunch had progressed shakily, with Levi not returning yet, even after 20 minutes. Eren was more than a little concerned now. It was true the other’s patience was always thin but the way he snapped and left this time was not normal from Levi. Glancing over at Farlan, the other male could only give him a sheepish but reassuring smile as he shrugged. It seemed Farlan wasn’t sure why either. Eren glanced over at Nifa who was uncharacteristically quiet. The female sat there in silence, thinking hard before her eyes swept over to Eren’s. Slightly narrowing, she seemed to be looking at him skeptically as he frowned. He didn’t hate her. Never did, really. But she wasn’t exactly somebody he was fond of and he was sure the feeling was requited.

As usual, Farlan began speaking up, starting a conversation to ease the mood. It consisted mostly of Farlan and Nifa though as Eren couldn’t get in the right headspace to enthusiastically join in. Emerald eyes stared across at Levi’s abandoned dish in concern. _Did he do something?_ _Did Farlan do something?_ Eren sat there, looking down at his plate as he silently ate. It almost felt like Levi was mad _at_ him. But he didn’t know why. Throughout the course, Farlan tried looping the assistant into the talks they were having but eventually left Eren alone after realizing he wasn’t really paying attention.

In the end, Levi came back right as they finished their food. The table was slightly tense as Levi sat down again, smelling of freshly smoked cigarettes. Eren wanted to say something but his mouth wouldn’t move. He simply watched as Levi glanced over at him with an unreadable expression, momentarily, before turning away again. Calling over a waiter for a to-go bag and the check, Levi then crossed his arms and leaned back against the booth seat. Nifa didn’t skip a beat before chirping out a line.

“Are you alright, Mr. Ackerman?”

Looking dramatically concerned, Nifa tilted her head and clasped her hands together, earning a slightly annoyed look from Eren. _Laying it on thick, much?_ Her act was so fake, it made the assistant want to puke. Eren’s boss muttered a rough yes before pulling out his phone and looking through it, obviously not willing to socialize at the moment. The action made Eren slightly wither. His want to ask Levi about why he was upset earlier was beaten back by hesitance. At least Nifa had the guts to..

As soon as they paid and Levi gave the waiter a generous tip, they all walked out of the restaurant. Eren pulled Farlan aside for a moment, not without earning a brief look from Levi for it. However, Levi’s attention was taken by Nifa as she ran up and grabbed his shoulder, walking right next to him. Eren internally sighed at the sight but brushed it off. If Nifa wanted him..well, he didn’t want to think about it. Farlan looked a bit surprised from Eren suddenly grabbing his arm, turning to him with a grin.

“Is this you asking me for my hand in marriage?”

A dry laugh escaped Eren’s lips before he shook his head.

“No, but can you do me a favor.”

Farlan’s brows pulled together but he shrugged before replying casually.

“Sure, I don’t see why not.”

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Eren looked away before muttering.

“Could you just occupy Nifa for a bit? I kind of wanted to talk to Levi and she won’t get off his back.”

Farlan simply stared at him with an interested look as Eren fidgeted under the look. Finally, Farlan coughed before leaning in and speaking under his breath.

“Eren, I’m going to be serious for a bit. I’m sure we both know I keep a relatively loose lifestyle.”

Eren blinked back at him with owlish eyes before making a face.

“Uh, yeah? I mean, don’t get me wrong, Farlan, you’re a cool guy but I’m not sure yet if I’m looking to seriously date..”

The other laughed before slapping a hand on Eren’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, Eren. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I mean, don’t get me wrong either. You’re nice on the eyes and if you weren’t Levi’s friend, maybe I would seriously try something. I don’t mind having something off the books if you know what I mean..”

Eren flushed at the response but remained silent and listening.

“..but it’s entertaining to mess around with you on a surface level too. I’m sure whatever we have going on between us is just out of jokes and fun.”

Eren wasn’t sure why Farlan was bringing up such a far off subject from his request but he nodded slowly. He agreed with everything the other said but why was Farlan mentioning it now? The other seemed to have picked up on his confusion and smiled at the assistant.

“Just thought I’d bring that up because it might be relevant when you talk to Levi. I’ll go chat up, Nifa now.”

“Oh..okay.”

Eren still felt a bit lost but agreed nonetheless. Farlan patted him on the back again reassuringly, looking at him thoughtfully for a moment before walking ahead.

Okay..well that was..weird. But to say the least, Eren was appreciative that the other was going to help him out. Eren definitely owed him.

Eren watched as Farlan suddenly grabbed Nifa’s arm and steered her away to talk about something. She seemed a bit annoyed but complied nonetheless. Levi looked like he didn’t care either way and didn’t bother to wait, continuing to walk ahead. Eren stood there, staring at Levi’s figure as it slowly got smaller, the distance between them growing. He hesitated. It was normal to ask about what was wrong between friends..but for some reason, Eren was nervous now about doing so unlike that night. Maybe it was because he was in such a hurry to get over to Levi's before that it distracted him from thinking too much about the confrontation itself.

Just how deep should he press and when was the right level to back off at? As Eren was lost in thought, he realized the other was almost already gone from sight. Alarmed, Eren huffed before jogging forward to catch up with his boss. _He needed to know_. He didn’t know why but he knew he wanted to know.

Beginning to run, Levi’s form was getting closer in Eren’s shaky view. He was even trembling a bit as he caught up to the other. Without any time to process thoughts of fear or hesitation, all Eren could think of was catching up to Levi. He grabbed his shoulder, jerking him around. Levi’s eyes widened as he was yanked face to face with Eren. Eren was breathing hard. As he caught his breath, he intensely stared at Levi with determination lit in his cerulean green eyes. However, Eren needed to catch his breath embarrassingly enough. Levi stood there awkwardly as Eren was hunched over, catching his breath and holding up a hand.

“Wait..ho..hold up..”

Arching an eyebrow, Levi stood there, waiting as Eren requested. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before straightening his back and staring down at Levi as his voice was lined with concern.

“..Are you okay?”

Levi blankly stared at him for a minute, seeming to be dumbfounded by his assistant’s question. Eren stared back at him with wide eyes, desperate for an answer. Suddenly, a small airy laugh escaped Levi’s lips, surprising Eren. He covered his mouth as the smallest smile made its way onto his face.

“..... _That’s_ what you sprinted all the way down the street to ask me for?”

Levi asked in amusement before Eren made a face of confusion before slowly nodding.

“..Yeah?”

Levi stared back at him in disbelief before shaking his head.

“..You’re fucking weird.”

Eren frowned when Levi was about to turn back around and continue walking. Yanking his arm out, Eren held onto Levi’s shoulder firmly, keeping him from walking off. The other seemed surprised but stayed. Eren looked firmly into the other’s eyes with assertion, his voice coming out surprisingly even and serious.

“..You didn’t answer my question.”

Levi pursed his lips at Eren pointing out his aversion. The shorter male crossed his arms.

“Because it isn’t important.”

“Levi. You left us in the middle of lunch.”

Making a face at Eren’s comment, Levi’s eyebrows knitted together as he let out a frustrated sigh. He finally turned to fully face Eren, staring at his assistant while the cogs in his mind were spinning, trying to figure out how to say his response. After a heavy silence, Levi looked down at the cement sidewalk, his expression being slight aggravation. The change of emotion on Levi’s face took Eren by surprise.

“I know you invited me. But I’m sorry I..I need to tell you something..”

A heavy weight began forming in Eren’s stomach as he simply stared at a concerned Levi. What..was it that the other needed to tell him?? Only a second had probably passed by and he already had knots forming in his stomach at his boss’ words.

Looking Eren in the eye, Levi sharply inhaled before cursing under his breath. 

“I know it was between us and I feel horrible for letting it slip..even if it was by accident..”

Levi then grimaced before muttering gruffly.

"Hanji...I mistakenly told her about your…...planned date with Farlan. I really didn’t mean to out you like that, even if it was to one person...Shit, I’m sorry, Eren.”

_Wait what?_

As much as he would usually be panicked, he already had an inkling that Hanji was onto him. On top of that, he could just make sure to keep her quiet with his leftover snacks as always. Eren simply stared at him with widened eyes, unable to register what Levi had just said. It wasn’t the first half that caught him off guard. 

_Date..?? With Farlan??_

“Uh……”

Making a face, the assistant cast a confused look down at his boss before speaking up slowly.

“Since when was I dating Farlan?”

“....Huh?”

Levi blinked at Eren, staring back with a blank expression. Slowly, his face twisted with confusion as they both stood there awkwardly, frozen in the middle of the sidewalk.

“..Waittt..”

Holding up a hand, Eren shook his head as he scrunched his nose, a small laugh escaping his lips.

“You thought I was _dating_ Farlan?”

Levi froze up at Eren’s reaction. _So Farlan was just bullshitting._ Ignoring the relief he felt at the other’s response, Levi scowled at Eren’s amusement of the situation before snapping at him.

“Of course I did! You two flirt all the time!”

Eren’s smile faltered and slipped off his face at the raven haired male’s audible frustration. He began frowning.

“Um _yeah_ , as a joke! Farlan always is messing around, you should know that! Levi, I’ve only known your friend for like a couple _weeks!_ ”

Levi crossed his arms before scoffing and raising his voice.

“Well, you sure spend a lot of time with a friend you’ve only known for two weeks.”

“Wha-!?”

Sputtering back, Eren’s jaw hung open in disbelief as his emotion slowly changed to one of slight annoyance. It wasn’t like he hung out with Farlan _that_ much. He threw his hands in the air before exclaiming.

“It’s not even that much time!”

Waving a hand around, Eren retorted. At this point, their voices were significantly above public decency level. People walked around the two, avoiding them as they bickered loudly on the sidewalk. Levi wasn’t one for making a scene in public but he couldn’t help it. He just felt angry and frustrated and he didn’t know how to fix it. He glared back at his assistant as the other’s ocean eyes were ablaze with bewildered annoyance, disbelief lining Eren’s accusatory tone.

“Is this why you were mad earlier??”

Levi hissed back.

“Well, does it fucking matter?”

“Of course it does! Why are you even mad?? It’s like you’re _jealous_ or something!”

“ _So what if I am!?_ ”

Levi snapped aggressively, glaring at Eren with stormy grey eyes. The short lived bickering came to an abrupt halt as the two were huffing, out of breath and glaring at each other with wide eyes while passerby glanced over. Stunned into silence, Eren breathed out hard as he processed what Levi said. It was just an empty accusation he threw out...but Levi didn’t deny it or chastise him like he expected.

_Levi was...jealous?_

Finally realizing his unintentional confession, Levi’s eyes filled with shock for a split second before he stubbornly jerked his head away. He refused to meet Eren’s eyes as he directed his glare at the street instead, crossing his arms tighter and remaining silent.

“You’re...huh?”

Mumbling in disbelief, Eren’s face relaxed, the aggression melting off his face as he stared at a defensive Levi who refused to look back at him. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Eren’s fingers found their way to the ends of his loose strands of hair as he tugged at them nervously. He honestly didn’t know what to say. Taking a step closer, he looked down at Levi as his boss tensed up under his shadow and stared daggers at particularly nothing. Speaking up in a calmer tone, Eren asked softly.

“Did you think I wasn’t going to want to hangout with you anymore if I was dating Farlan?”

Levi grinded his teeth behind tightly thinned lips. Embarrassment was not something he would ever feel comfortable being and right now, Levi felt that among many other feelings. Shame...frustration..uncomfortableness...and now jealousy. Levi realized now why he had felt off this whole time and the answer made him feel all the more aggravated. He felt nervous about looking at his assistant. Was it because Levi was afraid he couldn’t keep a reserved facade? He was the older one after all. Things like jealousy or being upset were embarrassing to admit to for a man his age. Levi could feel his assistant’s stare on him, cursing how great Eren’s patience was as the other silently waited for an answer.

“...I don’t know.”

Levi muttered at a barely audible volume while Eren stared at him. Upon close inspection, the assistant could now see a slight rosy tint in the other’s usual pale complexion.

_Holy shit, was Levi blushing?_

“..you’re lying.”

Eren responded in a breathless voice. The two stood there, the outside world invisible to them. Eren didn’t know what to feel. He didn’t even know if he was feeling anything or everything. A warm fuzzy numbness reverberated throughout his body as his heart felt like a million invisible strings were tugging at it.

“Levi…”

“I don’t want to talk about this.”

Levi finally looked back at Eren, snapping sharply as he gritted his teeth. As a result, Eren’s features were stained with hurt at the other’s harshness, causing Levi to falter yet again. _Dammit..why couldn’t he not care when it came to Eren?_

However, Eren rebounded quickly, the wariness he usually had being replaced with sheer determination.

“But I want to talk about this.”

Eren furrowed his eyebrows, intensely gazing at Levi with fiery eyes. He then spoke up again, firmly but retaining that sickenly soft tone.

“What did you mean when you said you were jealous?”

“..I..I don’t know.”

Muttering in a bitter, frustrated voice, Levi sharply exhaled through his nose.

“Is it because you thought I wouldn’t hang out with you anymore?”

Levi frowned..he wasn’t sure himself either but that didn’t sound like the right answer.

“..no.”

Eren paused before looking around warily.

Looking slightly down, Levi’s eyes zoned in onto Eren’s hand and realized it was shaking in a jittery fashion. As if he was nervous. Grey eyes slowly moved back up to Eren’s face as his assistant finally turned back to look at him. Eren looked like he was sweating buckets as his mouth seemed to be twitching, words trying to find their way out of his assistant’s mouth.

Patience is a virtue. Unfortunately for Levi, he didn’t apply this to himself.

“What is it already?”

Levi cracked out at Eren in an annoyed tone, the other’s anxiety beginning to get to him as well. In all honesty, Levi would have left already by this point if it was anybody else. However, his shitty brain had subconsciously programmed itself to make an exception for Eren.

“..Well..then why are you feeling..jealous?”

“Didn’t I already tell you I don’t have a _damn_ clue?”

Levi bit back at Eren. Eren frowned, deciding to change up his approach. Stepping up in Levi’s space, Eren began shooting question after question.

“Do you get annoyed when Farlan calls me nicknames?”

Levi made a face.

“Eren, our lunch break is almost up. I don’t have time for your stupid que-”

“ _Answer me._ ”

Eren growled in a low voice, sending a shocked shiver down Levi’s spine at the tone. He glared at the assistant but Eren didn’t back down, holding his ground. Scowling at his assistant, Levi looked away and scornfully stared at the cement once again.

“...........yes.”

Eren took a deep breath, asking another question in a less aggressive tone.

“Do you get annoyed when I laugh at Farlan’s jokes?”

“...yes.”

Another question.

“Do you get bothered when I go out with Farlan?”

“..ye-”

“-Even if the two of _us_ haven’t made plans?”

Levi gritted his teeth, answering through a tight throat.

“......yes.”

Not hearing another question after the barrage of previous ones, Levi slowly turned back to look at Eren, breath hitching when his eyes were met with an expression he’d never seen before on Eren’s face.

The other was looking down at him as if he was hurt and hopeful at the same time, cheeks flushed as his lips were parted. Sharp small breathes were escaping Eren’s lips as his eyes were filled with pain and pupils dilated.

“..w-what is it..??”

Levi asked in the most aggressive tone he could muster but it horribly failed as his throat tightened from the way Eren was looking at him. He even stuttered. He fucking stuttered. Levi Ackerman didn’t stutter. _What was this shitty world coming to?_

Eren’s eyes were big, staring right into Levi’s core as he asked in a breathless voice. Every beat from within his ribcage banging in his eardrums seemed as loud as a gunshot. The assistant’s chest tightened. He could practically hear the blood pumping in and out of his heart, every thick swallow he made go down his dry throat. It was too late for himself. Every suppression he had kept from his boss was immediately torn down by the spontaneous hope he gained. As always, the words were out of his mouth before he realized it, slipping past his lips like sand through splayed fingers.

_“Levi....do you like me?”_

_What..??_ Shocked grey irises flicked back up to doting green ones, unable to tear away. Eren couldn’t stop the words leaving his mouth. He knew he should have but he didn’t and couldn’t.

Of course, reality was one to always keep you in check.

Eren stared back, unable to look away himself as he had front row seats to the look of disgust on the object of his affection’s face, the assistant’s personal horror show playing out sickeningly slow right before him.

Levi looked…. _horrified._ As if he had gotten physically wounded by the question that was uttered. All the weeks of laughing, bonding and looking into those gunmetal grey eyes…

...all down the drain with Eren’s heart.

The faint sound of a couple screaming their heads off at each other down the street could be heard in the background as a whiny ringing rang in the shorter male’s ears. Levi stood there, frozen as if he had been shot in the face, unable to respond to Eren. A look of terror was plastered on his face.

_What...the hell did Eren just say..?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. It is a cliffhanger.
> 
> I guess we will have to see what happens come next Saturday which is also Halloween. 🎃
> 
> As always, thank you for the 210+ kudos and 3900+ hits. 
> 
> I am always glad to hear what you guys think in the comments and converse with my readers. The slow burn is there but it is slowly but surely making its way through to much more action for our duo.


	17. Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody.  
> Happy Halloween. I hope you all are doing well.  
> I'm already recovering from my procedure and have the new chapter for you guys.  
> This was made with Ererictober 2020 (Day 31: Halloween) in mind. :)  
> As always, thank you for the 225+ kudos, 4k+ hits and comments. I hope you enjoy.

**Chapter 17**

_Eren’s POV_

([ X ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XxQgRcjyrY))

“Yooo, Erenn.”

“What..?”

Eren muttered in exasperation as Jean slung an arm around the assistant’s shoulders. Jean was clearly inebriated as he swung his beer around with every word. Although the other was trying to look cool through the interaction, Eren could tell his friend was actually just pushing weight onto him from inability to stand up on his own. Levi’s assistant grimaced. _Could the guy slow down on the beers?_ Not that Eren could really say anything himself though..he could do well off with being hammered right now.

The assistant’s own head was slightly throbbing from the loud chattering around him in combination with the buzz he was feeling from the half consumed drink in his hand. Eren had decided to try Hanji’s strange fruit punch bowl in the middle of the table since everybody else was. God knows what she put in it however as even Eren was getting affected from only two cups of it even with his stature. He watched as the rest of his coworkers were drunkenly laughing and smiling as they went around socializing with each other, music booming in the background. Jean grumbled, roughly yanking the horse hoodie at the side before sneering.

“Fuck, this hoodie is covering my hair when it’s looking good today..”

Eren scoffed at the complaint and rolled his eyes before taking a sip of his own drink.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure chicks will be too distracted by your horse mane to look at your hair.”

Jean was wearing a horse costume ([ X ](https://feestinjebeest.nl/product/horse-onesie/?lang=en)), shooting Eren a look before chugging down yet another beer. It was probably the guy’s third one and the party had only gone on for an hour. The horse outfit was the costume that Eren chose for Jean from his victory that night at Utgard in Truth or Dare. It was definitely a victory well used. The two of them even bickered over it for an hour less than the length of their usual arguments since Jean knew deep down he didn’t have the right to refuse.

Unfortunately, however, Jean managed to convince Eren to play a game of rock-paper-scissors over it to get payback. The other miraculously won somehow, ultimately forcing Eren to _also_ wear the same dumb costume he chose for Jean. The two were standing on the sidelines in their horse onesies as everybody filled the room with chatter over the music. Eren decided to strike up another conversation with Jean since the other was weirdly more silent than usual. He had only made _one_ comment about his sister the whole time. Only _one_ . While Eren wasn’t exactly upset about it _—_ in fact he was liking the idea of Jean keeping his weird Mikasa comments to himself _—_ it meant that Jean must have his head preoccupied with something else. Taking a sip from his red cup, Eren spoke up nonchalantly.

“Hey, do you know where’s Marco?”

Jean seemed to tense up momentarily before dramatically shrugging his shoulders and snorting.

“Beats me..”

Eren turned to look over at Jean with a confused expression.

“Dude.”

“What??”

“You always know where he is.”

Something Eren said seemed to bother his friend somehow as Jean cussed under his breath and took a bigger swig of his beer.

“Eren, _dude_. Just like, shut up for a second. I’m trying to get buzzed over here. Go look for Marco yourself if you want to talk to him so bad.”

It was Halloween and their company was having an after work party at Erwin’s house. For whatever reason, Jean was looking to get wasted and was doing a damn good job at it. Eren had already asked him what was wrong a couple times but his friend just kept shrugging it off and telling him to mind his own business. It was out of character for Jean since the male was usually extremely vocal and loud like a braying horse...which he was dressed as. Eren would usually pester Jean more about what was possibly agitating him but he was currently too preoccupied with his own problems to bother. It had been a week of Levi basically ignoring his assistant. As much as Levi could, that is. After all, there was only so much dodging you could do when you practically worked together..

Eren shouldn’t have said _anything_. He shouldn’t have even asked if Levi possibly saw him as something more. But it was too tempting not to and the fact that it felt like there was any hope after all clouded his judgement.

 _Wait a second- no._ Eren grimaced at his last thought. He and Levi were _friends._ He had given up and that was that. He shouldn't have been sitting around dabbling in dangerous feelings like hope. But he still confronted Levi and asked. Of course it was like Eren to recklessly and impulsively put their friendship on the line like that..Instead of a direct answer, he was simply looked at in shock before his boss eventually turned his back on Eren and left, walking away without a single word that day.

Needless to say, working had been extremely awkward. At least, that’s how it felt for Eren. They didn’t text each other at all for the time being or talk outside of work matters. Eren knew it was likely that this was how it was going to play out but experiencing it was an entirely different pain. If Eren thought the tension they had before was bad, in comparison to this one, he was sorely mistaken. He couldn’t help but feel a bit bitter at the fact that Levi seemed fine besides the blatant avoidance. Then again, his boss was never one to show emotions or wear his heart on his sleeve like Eren. After constant back and forth thoughts to himself, he decided not to pester Levi about it after all. Eren didn’t know how to feel or what was the right thing to say. It was true he could be optimistic at the fact that Levi didn’t outright cuss at him for asking such a thing...but the way the shorter male looked at him after those words slipped out was heart wrenching to say the least.

The way those smoky irises flickered alight in bewilderment as pale eyelids pulled back to reveal the whites of Levi’s eyes. The other looked shell shocked to say the least if not extremely put off and overwhelmed by Eren’s words. He looked terrified. It would make sense after all..Eren did ask an older engaged man who was also his boss if he liked Eren in _that_ way. It made the assistant feel like all the effort he invested into remaining close friends had evaporated in an instant. He couldn’t lie to himself in the end...he would always feel a sense of endearment for Levi. To Eren, Levi would always be special. Even if his affections were fruitless.

Just as Eren’s head was swimming with hazy thoughts about the situation with Levi, he heard Petra, on the side in her costume ([ X ](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1260/7913/products/wild-west-gunslinger-costume-for-adults-costume-culture-by-franco-llc-adults-womens-generic_1000x.jpeg?v=1569394317)), shout out excitedly. The man himself came walking through the living room entrance and Eren made a big time mistake of looking up from his drink to the door where the shorter male stood.

([ X ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vWNauaZAgg)) The music at the party instantly blasted inside Eren’s head in high definition. Everything suddenly felt like it was in slow motion once his eyes connected with the sight of his boss, all oxygen leaving his lungs. His current view was like a Hollywood movie scene that Eren wanted to relish and press reloop on forever. God, he wished he had it on record.

_♪_ _Back in black_

_I hit the sack_

_I've been too long I'm glad to be back_

_Yes, I'm let loose_

_From the noose_

_That's kept me hanging about_

_I've been looking at the sky_

_'Cause it's gettin' me high_

_Forget the hearse 'cause I never die_

_I got nine lives_

_Cat's eyes_

_Abusin' every one of them and running wild_ _♪_

_Eren couldn’t breathe properly. How did one even breathe in the first place??_

Levi walked in nonchalantly from across the room, dressed in a sinfully revealing cowboy outfit as his head turned towards the direction of Petra’s voice ([ X ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/fb/84/10fb843b8519013472ce79b57324e7ac.jpg)). _Goddamn,_ Eren knew he shouldn’t be looking but Petra did more than a great job at choosing Levi’s costume. Only Levi could wear a cowboy costume like that and still look dangerously hot.

_♪_ _'Cause I'm back_

_Yes, I'm back_

_Well, I'm back_

_Yes, I'm back_

_Well, I'm back, back_

_Well, I'm back in black_

_Yes, I'm back in black_ _♪_

The only garment his boss had on his upper half was a thin brown leather vest draped around his shoulders, no zipper or buttons to conceal the eye candy. Oiled muscular abs that were chiseled like a greek god’s were graciously exposed for everyone to see. They teasingly rippled under porcelain skin from each aggravatingly subtle contortion Levi’s body made, leaving the female workers in the room hot and bothered, whispering their desires for Eren's boss amongst themselves. The assistant’s self restraint on his thoughts was temporarily thrown out the window. Eren himself would probably kill to run his tongue down those Adonis abs.. The man was _ripped_ to say the least. It was always obvious, even under the normal suit attire, that Levi was in shape but Eren had no idea it was to such an extent. The prominent, defined v-line peeking above Levi’s loosely hanging pants was what added the cherry on top. Eren’s emerald eyes were blown wide as he ogled Levi, forgetting to swallow Hanji’s fruit punch as it accidentally spilled out of his mouth and dribbled down his chin.

“..Dude, are you good?”

Hearing Jean question him in a puzzled tone, Eren snapped back into present time, whipping his head to face Jean. Hurriedly wiping the drink from his chin with the back of his hand, Eren nodded hastily.

“Uh- yeah, I just zoned out..”

Jean’s eyebrows knitted together as he took one look at Eren before deciding there was nothing to be suspicious about. It was times like these that Eren was thankful Jean was oblivious as hell. As Eren was rubbing his mouth, his eyes flickered back to his boss, freezing up mid-wipe as his eyes locked with Levi’s. The other seemed to be making a slightly disgusted face, causing Eren to regain his composure and realize the other noticed him using his hand as a napkin. Sheepishly pulling his arm away from his face, Eren’s grip on his cup tightened as he swore up and down at himself.

 _Fuck, how long had Levi been looking at him?_ The assistant hoped his boss didn’t notice early enough to see Eren practically drooling out Hanji’s spiked fruit punch at the sight of Levi..the mood between them was already embarrassing and strained enough without it.

Jean turned his head and began looking in the direction Eren previously was staring, noticing Levi himself. It seemed the other didn’t realize Eren had already noticed their boss entering as Jean let out a low whistle.

“I see what Petra did with _her_ costume choice from Truth or Dare.”

Eren shot him a look before chugging down what was left of his drink and scoffing.

“Don’t even complain, asshole. We’re both wearing this stupid horse costume so I’m suffering too..”

Clicking his tongue, Jean scowled at Eren’s comment. The assistant’s friend then looked over again in Levi’s direction, as were a few other employees, a thoughtful expression on his face. Jean then continued to run his mouth freely, clearly allowing the alcohol to take the wheel for his current demeanor.

“Damn, that dude is packed with muscles for days, what the heck? Where the hell does he have time to work out? Bet all the office chicks are ogling him even more now.”

“Right..”

Eren mumbled as he looked away, not wanting to be caught staring at Levi. Jean then took another swig of his beer before speaking up again.

“Imma call him over to say hi. I mean, he should be cool about it, right?”

Eren’s soul practically left his body at Jean’s drunken suggestion, panic in his voice as he stammered.

“Wha- Wait, Jean, don’t do tha-!”

“Yo! Mr. Ackerman! _Boss Man!_ ”

Waving as he yelled, Jean grinned like an idiot as Levi glanced out of the corner of his eye, eventually turning to face their direction once he realized it was himself Jean was calling out to. The shorter male stared long and hard at a frenzied Jean, arching an eyebrow at the callout. He probably already realized Jean was drunk with the way he was acting. Eren subconsciously clawed a hand through the ends of the hair sticking out from his horse hoodie, clenching his fingers into a fist as he bunched brown strands into a stressed out grip. _Jesus Christ, why was he friends with such an idiot!?_

Petra also turned at Jean’s calling, glancing at Levi and then laughing as Levi pursed his lips and began walking across the room with his fiancé next to him. It was likely Eren’s boss was only coming over because he would have gotten scolded by Petra if he ignored them flat out. As the two neared them, Jean flashed a toothy grin as Eren looked to the side, finding a spontaneous newfound interest with the fake witch cauldron bubbling in the corner.

“Hey guys! How are you two boys doing?”

Petra beamed at Jean and Eren, clasping her hands together as she tilted her cowboy hat in an endearing manner, winking at them playfully. Jean jokingly saluted her before tipping his beer bottle back. _This was going to be a long night._ Forcing down the urge to punch Jean, Eren hesitantly pulled his eyes away from the Halloween decor, casting Petra the best smile he could muster.

“Hi, Petra. You look nice tonight.”

Eren complimented the smaller female with a small laugh as Petra smiled back at him before looking around the group they made.

“Looks like we all are from the Wild West for the night! Isn’t that right, Levi?”

Levi looked over at her before, frowning at Petra before pointing at his costume.

“I only wore this shit because I lost a bet.”

“Well, at least you two are matching. It’s kinda cute if that’s what you’re going for. You two even got those matching red bandanas.”

Jean jeered at Levi as the shorter male processed the response. The older male then looked at Petra as she laughed nervously before he suddenly glanced over at his assistant for Eren’s reaction. Not expecting the shorter male to even look in his direction for a second longer than necessary, Eren tensed up at the unexpected eye contact before looking away at the cauldron again. It probably wasn’t good for his mental health to look at his boss’ face for longer than necessary and even worse for his lower regions if Eren accidentally looked any further down..

Levi didn’t prolong the glance over though as he immediately shook his head and crossed his arms.

“It’s Erwin and Hanji too. They are dressed up as cowboys as well.”

The small statement from his boss made Eren feel like Levi was passively trying to tread around his question from that day which only ultimately made him feel more dread honestly. Jean scoffed at the remark before turning to Eren and jabbing his pointer finger into the assistant’s chest.

“Would ya look at that, Eren. They got a whole group thing going on and we’re out here looking like some _gay_ couple paired up in this goofy ass costume.”

Although Jean likely didn’t mean it in a negative way, the comment set Eren off the mental edge of sanity he was already barely hanging onto. He proceeded to shoot an intense glare at his friend, his grip tightening to the point that the cup in his hand crinkled loudly. The action alone caught Jean off guard as the carefree demeanor he had slowly slipped away. He looked back at Eren, confused.

“Uh, you okay there man?”

Asking warily, Jean scratched the back of his head over the horse hoodie as Eren clenched his jaw, teeth grinding viciously against each other. Petra looked worried as she quietly watched with big eyes, brows turning up in confused concern at Eren’s sudden dark look and Levi...well Eren, didn’t want to even look in his direction. Especially after Jean’s remark. Forcing himself to calm down and swallow any words he might regret, Eren shoved his hoodie off and spoke up.

“...I’m fine. I’m going to get another drink.”

Stating bitterly in an irked tone, the assistant looked at his empty cup that was crushed in his hand before turning to walk off without looking back. Eren couldn’t care less at this point. He didn’t even want to really go to the workplace party if it weren’t for the stupid win Jean managed to score over the horse costume. Jean’s unintentional insult about his sexuality was the last swing to hammer the nail into the coffin and Eren needed to escape.

“Wait, I need a drink too.”

Hearing an all too familiar voice say that line, Eren thought he had imagined it for a second. However, Levi was right behind him, grabbing his shoulder and looking right at him. Eren stared back in silence, the anger in his expression, slightly softening for a second at the vision of Levi. However, the faltering ceased and Eren’s irritation came right back. 

Although Levi didn’t seem to have been thinking much about their last conversation, Eren definitely had. Countless nights of staring up at the ceiling then getting comforted by Armin’s storytelling and reassuring therapy sessions were more than enough for Eren to know _he_ himself cared. Maybe too much even. Spending time with Levi was a virtue while it lasted but Eren had serious doubt within himself that he would be able to maintain a stable close friendship with Levi after all. It was a aggravating wake up call but still one nonetheless. Eren knew if this continued, he would be too busy over reading into everything and maybe it would get so bad to the point that Eren would even dare to hope for something more. Maybe they could maintain a distant acquaintance's type of relationship at the very most.

After that week, Eren was worried that his boss might have started telling everybody about it. That Eren was stupid enough to think Levi was possibly attracted to his weird assistant who was a man too on top of it all. Or that he would let everyone know the assistant was gay and claim Eren was possibly trying to shove his homosexuality onto his boss. The fear may have been slightly irrational but it didn’t stop the assistant from feeling on edge after the weekend ended. Thankfully, nobody seemed to be sparing any glances at him. Eren was quietly appreciative that Levi didn’t go around telling people about what happened at least. It seemed like he didn’t even tell Farlan either about it.

Looking back at the food table, Eren jerked his shoulder free from his boss’ hold and continued walking off. He ignored Levi’s words and went to grab his drink. God, Jean was probably going through some stuff with the way that dude was drinking but Eren was too. Maybe it _really_ wasn’t such a bad idea to get hammered after all. Armin once again volunteered to be designated driver anyways. The blond was content enough chatting with friends from his own department while sober. Roughly chucking the crushed red cup into the trash can a bit more aggressively than normal, Eren sharply exhaled in frustration before grabbing a new cup. He then looked around for the marker to write his name.

“Here.”

The taller male froze once again, his head whipping to the left as he locked eyes with Levi standing right next to him. The other had a plastic cup in his hand as well but on closer inspection, Eren saw a name on it. Levi seemed to have chosen to follow him anyways, even after Eren’s silent treatment. ‘Eren’ was written in fine, thin letters across the red plastic as Levi held the marker in his hand, offering the cup to his assistant. Pursing his lips, Eren then stared down at the cup. _What was this? Some kind of cheap peace offering?_ Eventually slowly taking it from Levi’s hand, the younger male discarded the one he already had. Why was the other even getting anywhere in his vicinity after ignoring him all week? Turning back to the table, Eren muttered with a resigned frustration, feeling conflicted over how to treat Levi now.

“..Thanks.”

Turning back to the bowl of Hanji’s punch, Eren filled his cup and went back to minding his own business. Levi probably was just being nice and wanted a drink too. Eren looked down into the liquid at his reflection, staring at the filled cup in his hand. Maybe he should have just blown off Jean and not come here after all. He threw his head back, chugging the drink in one go before refilling his cup again. He honestly didn’t want to think.

“..Aren’t you being a bit heavy-handed with that?”

Whipping his head around to see Levi still next to him, Eren blankly stared down at his boss. _Why was he still here?_ The other was just standing there, watching him with an unreadable expression but the tell tale twitch in the corner of his mouth and crossed arms showed how on edge his boss was. Knowing that piece of information made the assistant feel a pang of hurt he wished he didn’t have to feel. Eren sighed before shooting Levi a look. Eyes remaining locked with Levi’s, the assistant defiantly tipped his refilled cup back again, slowly guzzling it all down in one go as a few drops spilled down his chin from the cup. Levi arched a brow at Eren but remained silent, pursing his lips in irritation at the action. Eren then messily wiped at his chin before glaring back at his boss. Levi narrowed his eyes at his assistant before speaking up again.

“You should realize that shit is strong. Hanji adds in triple the amount of vodka and you’re guzzling it down like it’s holy water.”

Eren’s annoyed expression now had exasperation visible in it as he finally turned his body to fully face Levi. Unfortunately, the taller male was more than done with life at the moment so he was not up to sugarcoating his words. Then again, the assistant never was one to do so in the first place. Eren let out an aggravated sigh before looking Levi in the eye again, a mixture of wariness and hurt alight in his emerald eyes. He stated his point bluntly with a hint of bitterness.

“Levi, I’m pretty sure you didn’t just follow me to throw your reprimanding lines or lectures in my direction...what do you even want?”

Staring at the other with a questioning look, Eren frowned. The shorter male now shifted awkwardly in his spot as he crossed his arms and looked away. Levi breaking eye contact first was a lot more rare to happen between the two of them. It was clear Eren’s boss was a bit on edge if not uncomfortable. Speaking up in a quiet voice, Levi trailed off, unsure.

“I don’t know..”

Shaking his head at the answer, Eren let out another sigh and went back to refilling his cup yet again. He knew the other was never exactly vocal or a chatterbox but after a week of silence, it did irk Eren a bit. Eren then shoved a hand into his costume pocket and shrugged as he waved his plastic cup around.

“Look, Levi. It’s obvious I care about you. As a friend. I just didn’t know..”

At the last part, Levi’s stare wavered but remained connected with Eren’s as he listened. Scanning the shorter male’s face, Eren’s brows furrowed in exasperation as he continued.

“..but I didn’t mean to spring it on you like that. I wasn’t trying to put you on the spot and I don’t want you to think I was saying something like that just cause I’m..”

The noise emitting from the other parties in the room helped mask Eren’s voice but not enough for the other to miss the shaky unevenness of it. Levi’s eyes widened at the sight and he called out before realizing.

“Eren....I-”

The taller male cut Levi off, a pained smile on his face as he scratched at his head.

“It’s okay, Levi. I don’t expect you to have any certain type of response for me. It was stupid of me to ask in the first place.”

Shutting his mouth, the shorter male stared back at Eren. What was he supposed to do? For once, Levi was at a loss. Deciding to outright voice his thoughts aloud as always, the older male broke the silence between them, voice quiet but dripping with insistence for answers.

“Were you expecting...something when I asked?”

The question hung in the air as Levi looked at Eren, expecting the other to react negatively. Maybe lash out or start going off about being turned away that day.

_Just, anything._

Instead, Eren laughed softly, surprising Levi as his assistant’s sad ocean eyes dropped down to his drink. Eren whispered his joking response in a pained voice, struggling to keep the mood light.

“You hurt me, Levi..is that what you were thinking of me?”

Eren then looked back up, eyes full of adoration and lit with a buzzed humor. Despite the alcohol, his next words rang clear and firm, strained with a love-struck pain.

“..I...think you’re really important. You’re an inspiration for me and I do look up to you. Some might reprimand you inside their heads for your cut throat aspects and eccentrics but those same qualities they shy away from, I can’t help but get drawn to you for..I honestly don't know.”

The assistant then let out an airy laugh before he took a long draining sip from his cup. Levi stood there, shocked more than before as he stared ahead. Eren then smiled back at Levi. _Smiled._ The look in Eren’s eyes directed at him made Levi suffocate. It felt like his chest was being constricted. The words Levi was deperately searching for were clogged up in his throat at the sight of his assistant’s face.

Eren was the one getting avoided...so why was it that Levi was feeling hurt about it?

Turning to stare out at the party, Levi let out an airy laugh at the irony of it all as his expression was anything but amused. Cold, grey eyes stared down his employees as the shorter male spoke up stiffly.

“So..why did you think..?”

Alluding to Eren’s question that day, Levi trailed off. Eren turned with a sigh and looked ahead at the party, right next to Levi like the day they watched the sunset fade to a starry night. A million thoughts were racing in his head but only a small portion of them were things the assistant was willing to voice aloud.

“..I don’t know, Levi.”

The shorter male felt thrown off by the languid response. Levi didn’t want to stop talking to Eren.

“...we’re good friends at least, right?”

Eren could only internally laugh at the question bitterly.

Deciding to force down any words that would intensify or worsen the situation, the assistant mumbled halfheartedly before taking another swig of his drink.

“...I don’t know..I guess..”

The mood was tense but fragile like a glass window where both parties peered through at each other. Neither wanted to step away from the pane, struggling to maintain their pressure on the brittle glass for as long as possible without their facade of a normal relationship shattering. Deep down, both parties knew there was a change in their relationship, whether they liked it or not. Hearing Eren’s apathetic excuse of a response irated Levi. It sounded like Eren had given up their relationship altogether. Out of spite, Levi casually grabbed a beer from behind himself before popping it open with a casual retort.

“..Although, friends don’t stare at each other’s abs like it’s a full course meal.”

Eren choked on his drink at Levi’s casual remark, completely caught off guard and hacking up the liquid as it burned down the wrong pipe. Emerald orbs teared up as he coughed, blinking back tears. He whipped his head to face his boss.

“Wh..What..??”

Levi dryly laughed as his assistant’s reaction as Eren managed to force out a strained response.

“You’re not exactly discreet. You had a waterfall of fucking fruit punch spilling from your mouth the second I walked in.”

Huffing as he recovered from Levi’s words, the assistant frowned before pouting and exclaiming at his boss.

“Oh my god...and you didn’t bother to say anything about it until now!?”

Eren groaned as he ran a hand over his flushed face. Levi simply chuckled before half heartedly shrugging and looking to the side.

“Relax, Jaeger. I know you didn’t mean anything by it. People ogle at others all the time. It’s fun messing with you.”

Eren then shot a dirty look at Levi before turning to face him again and crossing his arms.

“You know, you should be feeling disgusted if anything. I thought you were done with me ever since you gave me silent treatment.”

Levi stared at his beer bottle, silently thinking over Eren’s words before making eye contact with him.

“...I don’t know. I’m not.”

 _Ugh._ Eren always took his boss’ words with too much hope, even if he didn’t want to. He couldn’t help it, however, whenever Levi had small side comments like that slip out of his mouth. In combination with the countless pressing questions in the assistant’s head about him and Levi, it was all too much for Eren. Especially upon remembering the last talk they had.

Maybe it was the punch making his head feel fuzzy or maybe it was Levi’s ambiguity towards Eren that was teasing his impulsive thoughts. Conflict over whether to tread into dangerous waters was at an all time high. However, what Eren did know for certain was that he had already dived in head first. From the day the assistant associated himself on a deeper level with Levi, Eren had already royally fucked himself over. Therefore, he came to a conclusion. He might as well just play his cards and take risks like how he naturally did with anything else. It didn’t mean anything at all. Just messing around. He could blame it on the alcohol later. Turning to Levi, Eren suddenly leaned in, catching Levi off guard as the shorter male’s eyes widened. A playful light in Eren’s eyes glimmered as he let out a husky laugh and tilted his head.

“Do you maybe think you’re not disgusted because you might feel something after all?”

Levi swallowed nervously, stubbornly keeping his place as he narrowed his eyes at the other. _So Eren was deciding to be a cocky little shit, huh? Two could play at that game._ Levi snatched the front of Eren’s onesie into his fist, yanking him down to his eye level. Throwing his assistant off guard, Levi then scoffed before clicking his tongue at Eren.

“I wouldn’t be acting high and mighty when you’re dressed as _Jean_ for Halloween, you shit.”

Was Eren supposed to feel turned on at the fact that Levi had him choking in a hold and reprimanding him? Probably not but he still was definitely feeling it. Way to go, daddy issues. The taller male was feeling a bit more risky than he probably should have been tonight. Maybe it was the party or the four cups of Hanji’s fruit punch but Eren couldn’t find himself to care about composure. A small smirk pulled at the corner of Eren’s lips as he stopped putting strain against Levi’s grip on his collar. Eren moved in even closer, his face being mere centimeters apart from his boss. He could feel the other’s breath feathering his lips and grinned mischievously.

“You know, you’re right. I am dressed as a horse after all. And considering you’re a cowboy, you can always feel free to ride me anytime.”

Eren murmured in a low, hungry voice, catching Levi off guard and causing him to flush slightly as his grip on his assistant’s chest tightened. _This was still them joking around, right..?_ The space between them was nearing nonexistent, their bodies almost pressed flush together. While Levi had the other bent down to his level in a grab, Eren’s underlying animosity had his boss barely breathing, the sudden sexual tension making his heart pound. The older male violently racked his brain for a comeback but his head was empty with the exception of a spontaneous, obscene depiction of riding an Eren panting under him.

“U- umm, Eren...?”

At the sound of a third voice, the two were pulled out of their own world. Snapping his head up, Eren’s ravenous eyes pulled away to the right as Marco stood there, staring at the two in a Jesus costume ([ X ](https://images.halloweencostumes.com/products/19094/1-1/adult-jesus-christ-costume.jpg) ). _Talk about being caught sinning.._

Levi slightly flushed in embarrassment and quickly let go of Eren’s collar, his assistant immediately straightening his back and turning to face the other employee.

“Oh, Marco, I was wondering where you were! I asked Jean but he didn’t know for once, can you believe that? You guys always stick together like glue when we're grouped.”

 _Huh?_ Levi blinked dumbfoundedly as he stared at Eren who had casually begun a talk with Marco as if nothing out of the blue just happened. As if Marco didn’t just walk up to them practically on each other like sardines in a can. The freckled male seemed a bit confused himself but was distracted soon enough by Eren’s response as a flash of worried uncertainty came over Marco’s face for whatever reason. Well, it seemed like the third party was extremely oblivious if not simply unconcerned. Eren getting pulled away from Levi had the shorter male’s common sense returning. Feeling embarrassment and bewilderment wash over him from what had just ensued, Levi awkwardly fingered at the bandana around his neck, pulling at it to breathe easier.

_What did he just do?? And with his own assistant who was another man?_

Levi had always assumed he was straight. What reason would he have to question it? After all, romantic or physical acts were never high on his priority list as a kid and most of the checkpoints in his life have been laid out. To add even more to the current situation, there was Petra which left him no room to think about even being with a male. Sneaking a glance at Eren as the assistant was conversing with Marco, Levi felt embarrassed to find the younger male already staring back at him from the corner of his eye, catching Levi trying to peek at him. While Marco looked away for a split second, Eren cheekily winked at Levi. The shorter male was caught off guard, gunmetal eyes widening as his cheeks felt hot again. _What the hell was Eren doing?_ No- what the hell was _Levi_ doing? Vibrant ocean eyes whipped back to meet Marco’s before the freckled male could notice.

Knowing it would be best to put a halt to their sudden climax in antics, Levi felt more conflicted as he found himself not wanting to. Everything was going fast and constantly changing with Eren. Ever since he had gotten to know his assistant on a deeper level, everything Levi has experienced has been way out of his comfort zone. Although he had ignored Eren for a while, his thoughts were full of the emerald eyed assistant and coming to terms with what he was feeling. Levi stood to the side, glancing at his own colleagues who were across the room, Petra apparently dragged Jean along as he stood by the rest of Levi’s coworkers. She was always a considerate woman, making sure nobody was left alone. It only made him feel more guilty about his possible developing feelings for another. Eventually pulling himself back to the present, he overheard the ending sentences of Marco and Eren’s conversation.

“...if you don’t mind?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

He replied with a reassuring smile before turning to Levi, causing the older male to tense up slightly now that he was being looked at by Eren.

“Marco needs to talk about something with me. I’ll come find you later. Is that alright, Levi?”

Questioning his boss as he flashed him a grin, Eren watched Levi stiffly nod. Levi faltered, opening his mouth to say something to Eren but the other cut him off. His assistant suddenly leaned in, whispering into Levi’s ear with a more serious tone.

“Uh...I think I already know your response to my question from the other day but I’d still really like a proper answer, Levi.”

Levi clenched his jaw as his lips pressed together, shivering as Eren’s husky whisper tickled the shell of his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Eren then pulled back, mediterranean eyes meeting stormy grey ones, waiting for a response. Hesitant, Levi found himself unable to give a proper reply. He wanted to, he really did. But Levi had no idea what he was feeling or what to do on top of it. He knew he should abruptly shut things down but a small part of him didn’t want to go through with it. Seeing Levi’s confliction, Eren decided to not wait around and press into it, forcing a small smile on his face to help reassure Levi. It didn’t exactly cover up the fact that Eren seemed a bit hurt over Levi’s lack of a response. He then walked away with Marco, off down the hallway.

Standing there awkwardly, Levi huffed at nobody in particular. _This was ridiculous- no it was absolutely stupid and a pain in the ass._ Levi silently thought to himself as he grinded his teeth in frustration, knowing his heart was going a hundred miles an hour for Eren’s stupid smile, even if it was a sad one. Levi had been on the fence the whole time about his feelings regarding Eren, majorly for two reasons. He couldn’t just leave Petra high and dry like that and Eren was a man who was his assistant. At one point, he had thought he had possibly mistaken his own feelings for something that was truly nothing at all. Today, just proved otherwise as much as Eren's boss didn't want to admit it. He was at an absolute loss. All Levi knew was that he didn’t hate it when the other made advances on him. Furiously grinding down his teeth in frustration at himself, Levi glared ahead at the party.

“... _BOO!!!!_ ”

A loud voice bursted Levi’s right eardrum as he cussed, extremely alarmed. 

“Agh-shit-"

Clasping a hand over his ear, Levi turned around and glared at the culprit who was crazily grinning at him, a maniacal look in her eyes. _Of course, who fucking else could it be?_ Levi growled at his friend, feeling very pissed off.

“What the fuck, Hanji??”

Hanji simply grinned back at him, dramatically flipping her toy gun around her pointer finger and pretending to shoot Levi.

“Aw, come on, Levi! Just couldn’t leave your little grumpy butt alone now!”

Although possessing more coverage than Levi’s outfit, the enthusiastic female’s costume was just as deep into the Halloween spirit. Hanji’s clothes were a bit more cartoonish but still matching with the rest of the group ([ X ](https://images.halloweencostumes.com/products/38275/1-1/cowgirl-chaps-adult-costume.jpg)). Glancing at his friend’s outfit again, Levi clicked his tongue in distaste.

“I don’t understand why Petra couldn’t have given me a fucking shirt for my cowboy costume..”

Hanji cackled before teasingly pulling at Levi’s hat.

“Cause we had to make good use of our well deserved reward over you!”

Smacking the female’s hand away, Levi scoffed before crossing his arms.

“As if you all don’t torment me enough as it is, four eyes.”

“What’s this about tormenting?”

A rich merry voice questioned from the side as Erwin walked up, adjusting the front of his leather jacket ([ X ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a9/a5/25/a9a52538fb1902cc2687478aece002b4.jpg)) with a million dollar smile. It seemed that Petra and Jean were still conversing back at their original spot. Levi arched a brow at the two in the distance, shooting a questioning look at Erwin who simply shook his head, motioning for Levi to pay no attention to it. Frowning, he skeptically complied, taking another sip of his beer. Levi trusted Erwin’s judgement calls. He would just have to ask Petra about it later.

“Nice of you to finally join the party, shittybrows.”

Shooting out casually, Levi swirled the liquid around in his bottle as Erwin simply chuckled.

“Well, someone had to help keep your future wife and other friends company while you wandered off.”

Levi pursed his lips, shooting a glare at Erwin as Hanji made a small ‘O’ with your mouth, clearly amused. Although he had a piss poor temper, Levi knew better than to run his mouth in certain situations. The mention of Petra also dampened his mood as he found himself automatically thinking of his assistant as a result. Levi’s jaw clenched before he looked away, spitting out a response bitterly.

“I have all the fucking time in the world to entertain her once she becomes my wife.”

Levi then glanced at Hanji, shooting her a question.

“Where’s your little assistant?”

Perking up at the addressment, Hanji exclaimed, waving a hand.

“That rascal said he didn’t want to come! Instead, Moblit just offered to drive me home afterwards since I’m going to be drunk, can you believe that!?”

Levi snorted at her.

“Yeah, I definitely can.”

Levi couldn’t help but look over at Petra who was now patting Jean on the back with a comforting smile. Noticing this, Erwin spoke up jokingly.

“Jealous that Petra is spending her time with a younger man?”

Grey eyes flicked back to the blond male as he raised an eyebrow.

“And what if I am?”

Erwin simply stared back at him for a good second as Levi glared back. Eventually, Erwin raised his cup to his lips, taking a long sip before uttering his next words a note softer.

"That would be the pot calling the kettle black.”

Eyes snapping wide, Levi gawked at his boss, staring at him long and hard. Erwin simply smiled back at him as if he told a pleasant house party joke. Hanji watched in amusement, silent for once as Levi’s next words came out icy and threatening.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re getting at.”

The blond chuckled again, smiling at Levi.

“I think you do.”

Feeling irritated by Erwin’s constant mind games, Levi couldn’t help but question where Eren was from the newly brought up topic. After all, the other said he was going to be back soon..but it had been well over half an hour. _Where was he?_ Deciding to not bother with the other two for the time being, Eren’s boss finished the last of his beer and waved them off.

“I’ve had enough of this talk. I have to go do something. Hanji, Erwin.”

Taking his leave, he made himself gone before the other two could properly reply. Levi rolled his eyes, slightly amused as he heard Hanji shrieking a bye to him from behind. She was always going to be crazy, wasn’t she? Levi waded through the employees, music booming in his ears ([ X ](https://youtu.be/m9We2XsVZfc) ) as he headed towards the hallway where he last saw Eren go. _God, Erwin was cheesy as hell choosing these damn songs._ As he neared the area, the shorter male frowned in confusion as a familiar red holy shaul caught his eye just outside the entrance. Grabbing the owner’s shoulder, the freckled male practically jumped a foot in the air as he yelped at the sudden grip from behind. Levi rolled his eyes as the other turned around to face him.

“Oi, it’s just me. I thought you were with Eren. Where is he?”

The shorter male glanced around the group, seeing Ymir, Christa and Sasha but no Eren. Levi made a face of disgust as Sasha giddily waved hi at him, potato chips falling out of her mouth. He wasn’t surprised to see her costume had to do with food ([ X ](https://www.rastaimposta.com/DSN/rastaimpostacom/Commerce/ProductImages/mn1_000241.jpg) ). Sending a simple nod towards her, he then heard a whistle to his right. Ymir was grinning at him, dressed as a classic devil while Christa was in an angel outfit ( [ X ](https://images.halloweencostumes.com/blog/angel-and-devil-bff-costumes.jpg)).

“Damn, Mr. Ackerman. Looks like Petra decided to show off the goods tonight!”

Ymir grinned as Levi modestly shrugged.

“I’m just keeping my word from Utgard. Hopefully this will be the first and last time in this crap.”

Turning to Marco again, Levi arched a brow, restating his question.

“Where’s Eren, freckles?”

Eyes wide, Marco stammered at the nickname before sheepishly pointing down the hall.

“U-um, Eren got taken away by his other friends...they’re in the kitchen area.”

Feeling a bit irritated that Eren didn’t come find Levi like he said he would, Levi simply smacked Marco’s back as a sign of thanks before going on ahead. He walked down the hallway, already in a fairly foul mood from everything. _Why didn’t Eren return after talking with Marco?_ Hearing chattering from the kitchen, Levi suddenly froze when hearing a familiar chuckle.

_Wait..what??_

Levi’s brows furrowed as he picked up his pace, walking faster to the kitchen. Maybe he wasn't hearing things right-maybe it was just the alcohol even if he wasn't remotely drunked out. Turning the corner, gunmetal es eyes widened at the sight that met his eyes. Levi stood there in shock as he saw Eren leaning against the wall with none other than Farlan right up against him, hand splayed by his assistant’s head.

“So, Eren, have you accepted my proposal?”

Armin ([ X ](https://www.elliottsfancydress.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/w/i/wizard-boy-bn-1024.jpg) ) and Mikasa ( [ X ](https://images.halloweencostumes.com/products/15280/1-1/womens-voodoo-doll-costume.jpg)) were there as well, the blond flushing at the scene as Mikasa calmly sipped her drink. Farlan grinned cockily at the assistant as Mikasa frowned and spoke up calmly.

“So this is how a boyfriend acts?”

Levi could only stare at the scene before him dumbfoundedly, having difficulty processing what he was seeing.

_When did Farlan get here? W h y was Farlan here?? And why the fuck was he getting that close to Eren?_

Overwhelmed by the situation, Levi could only feel default emotions at an all time high. Anger and jealousy. _Didn’t Eren ask Levi if he liked him? Not Farlan!_

_Besides, Eren said he wasn’t like that with Farlan so what the hell was Levi looking at?_

Levi was unable to properly compose himself as his fingers felt like jelly at the sight, beer bottle slipping out of his hand and hitting the floor. Multiple shards of glass shattered across the floor as soon as Levi’s drink collided with Erwin’s kitchen tiles, earning the attention of the rest of the group in the room. Mikasa raised her brows in surprise at Levi’s presence as Armin whipped his head around, wincing at the sound. But Levi couldn’t bother to care for once that he just made a mess on the floor. Not when all he could zone in on was Eren who was now looking at him like a deer in headlights, clearly not expecting Levi to be there. Everybody in the room was silent and barely breathing as each person stared at Levi and he stared back. Farlan, who seemed just as unfazed as Mikasa, turned to face his friend, grinning and waving as he didn’t seem fazed by the sudden chilly atmosphere.

“Levi! Where have you been?”

Snapping back into the present, Eren’s boss was no longer stupefied by the situation. No..he had more than enough time to process it by then.

And Levi was fucking pissed.

Stormy grey eyes narrowed with a raw hostility at Farlan. Unlike the times before, the vexation within the shorter male was genuine and antagonizing, fury ripping into his heart like a hot blade. Farlan could sense it, slowly turning to face his friend with a look of questioning.

“...Levi?”

“What the _hell_ are you doing?”

Levi spat out angrily, jaw clenched tight as he glared at Eren. Slowly, Farlan paused, realizing he wasn’t the one being asked as his friend’s vexxed look was directed at the person by him instead. Caught off guard by the sudden directed attention, big cerulean green eyes stared back at his boss as Eren stuttered, alarmed and worried. Levi scoffed. _Damn right Eren should be worried._

“Uh- Levi! Farlan was just showing an example to Mikasa and Armin-”

“What kind of fucking example has _someone all up on you?_ ”

Levi glowered at his assistant and cut him off, not bothering to hide his irritation. Mikasa looked like she wanted to speak up, likely in defense of Eren, but Armin held her back, silently giving her a look. Although hesitant, she listened to her blond friend in the end. Eren faltered, unsure of what he should say. Looking like a wounded puppy as he looked torn, Eren began glancing between Levi and Farlan. Eren’s sheepish look lingered longer on Farlan. Farlan rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to act in the situation he was placed in. 

Overcome by a burning jealousy, Levi didn’t bother to clean the mess he made. Leather boots sharply clacked against the tiles and over the broken pieces of glass as they came to a stop in front of Eren. Cold fingers yanked the taller male’s wrist, pulling roughly at it as Eren let out a small ‘woah’ from the action, eyes wide and lost. Pulling Eren out of the small circle, Levi left the other three behind as he dragged his assistant along, Eren hesitantly allowing himself to be unceremoniously whisked off. 

“Someone clean that shit.”

Barking out in an icy voice, Levi shot one last glare behind him as Armin quickly nodded, a mixture of fear and wariness in his blue eyes. Still gripping Eren’s hand, Levi led him back down the hall. The assistant slightly winced from how tight the other was holding onto his wrist but decided against complaining about it. Levi seemed seriously pissed off this time, more so than the usual amount of irritation.

“Levi..?”

Muttering his boss’ name, Eren began sweating bullets as the other didn’t reply, grip tight as ever and body tensed up with anger. He was obviously nervous and absolutely lost about where they were going. _Oh god._ There was a chance Levi was leading him to his slow, painful death. Maybe then, Eren’s homosexuality would finally meet it’s maker. 

“Levi..where are we going..?”

Eren’s voice came out slightly more panicked but Levi still remained silent, continuing to drag him along as Levi’s footsteps were loud and sharp against the floor of Erwin’s house. Swiftly passing by other employees, the younger male seriously contemplated crying out to Marco for help. That was one Jesus he was okay with seeing this soon in life. Or maybe he wouldn’t even see Jesus if his boss killed him off. Wouldn’t he go to hell instead since he was gay..? _Wait- Focus Eren!_ Shaking his head, Eren forced himself to keep his thoughts from wandering. Now was not the time to think about these things. Especially not with a pissed off Levi leading him god knows where. The assistant could hear his heart pounding as he swallowed thickly, the music ringing in his ears. Finally coming to a momentary stop, Levi jerked at a doorknob to his right, swinging a door open and shoving Eren inside. Letting out a yelp, the assistant tripped and fell backwards, landing his ass on the wooden floor hard. Eren winced, rubbing at his backside from the fall.

([ X ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9-EDwf_teg)) The music booming from distant speakers and light from the party filtered into the dim room only momentarily until Levi shut the door, shrouding them in darkness. Whatever room they were in, it was spacious. Eren guessed it wasn’t that shocking, considering Erwin was the CEO of a bigshot company.

He gulped, his heart thumping faster than a race car nearing the finish line. Hearing footsteps coming his way, Eren could just barely make out Levi’s figure when looking up as the faintest traces of moonlight poured in through the side windows. The song’s bass vibrated through the wooden floor into his body, Eren’s body spiking with adrenaline and trepidation for whatever may come next. At a loss for what to do, he could only force out the other’s name in fear as Levi closed the distance between them.

“L-Levi..”

As Eren choked out his boss’ name, he suddenly felt two hands grab the front of his horse onesie, brown cloth wrinkling between Levi’s iron-fisted grip. Suddenly, the assistant let out a yelp as the other practically pulled him up off from the floor, forcing Eren to stand up in the process. Christ, Eren forgot how strong Levi was sometimes. His boss abruptly turned, slamming Eren against the now closed door. _What the hell!? Fuck, that hurt.._

Wincing as the back of his head collided with the wooden surface, Eren felt absolutely lost and furthermore slightly irritated by his boss’ rough housing. He sharply exhaled as he grimaced from the pain, speaking up angrily.

“Levi, what the fu- _mmph_..!?”

Levi’s grip on Eren’s collar was strong enough to make his knuckles turn ghost white from the pressure as he yanked his assistant down to his height. Knees slightly bent in a semi-wall squat position, Eren was awkwardly slightly hunched over, voice coming to an instant halt as Levi roughly smashed his lips against Eren’s. A shot of astounded euphoria went straight to Eren’s head like a heavy handed drug. Ocean green eyes were blown wide in shock as the assistant short circuited at the feeling of Levi’s soft lips suddenly against his amidst the brief messy clacking of their teeth against each other. It felt like Eren was on cloud nine. _Was he possibly dreaming?_ _Maybe he passed out when his head hit the door and he didn’t realize it._ Regardless, Eren wanted to savour and relish the moment. Levi parted their lips for a mere second, still so close that his breath was hot against his assistant’s as he hissed out his words, stormy grey eyes lit with anger.

“I fucking _hate_ when Farlan touches you..”

A heat shot down Eren’s groin as he heard Levi’s line. Stretching his arms out, Eren grabbed Levi and pulled the other in closer between his legs, hands possessively gripping the other’s waist. Eren’s boss had practically shoved a full course meal before Eren and the young man was absolutely starving for it, practically drooling at the spontaneous invitation. Levi began hungrily nipping at his assistant’s lips, roughly tugging Eren’s lower lip between his teeth which earned the older male a husky groan from the other. The sound was rich and seductively deep, sending a shiver down Levi’s spine. Levi seemed a bit awkward with kissing but it only turned Eren on even more at how messily savage it was. Eager fingers slowly made their way down the smaller male’s waist, resting just above the other’s bottom. Levi’s breath hitched at the touch as a gasp escaped from his lips. He began pressing himself up against Eren’s body in a silent order for more, fingers loosening up and letting go of the front of his assistant’s clothes. Eren enthusiastically complied, deciding to test the waters and slipping his tongue in. However, he was naturally rough and in reality, was practically shoving it down Levi’s throat, eager to taste Levi as much as possible. Slightly choking on the sudden intrusion, Levi let out a gravelly moan before a muffled curse shakily escaped his lips.

“Dis..disgusting..you’re slobbering all over my mouth like a mutt.”

Breathily hissing out, Levi tried directing a glare at Eren but the aggression was lost amidst the blatant lust oozing from him. Eren decided to bully Levi a little, forcefully twisting his tongue around Levi’s before running it along the other’s molars. The action made Levi slightly fidget around in Eren’s hands as small huffs of protest spilled out in little separated increments throughout their heated make out session. Finally pulling away, an obscene string of drool hung from their lips as emerald green eyes shined with predatory urges, eyeing Levi with hungry amusement. Eren smirked before rubbing a thumb on the corner of his mouth to wipe the saliva off, suddenly leaning in as he licked his boss’ lips. A pleasant heated fuzziness girated through Levi’s head as he had no thoughts. That was, until Eren seemed to briefly hesitate for a moment, his mouth briefly pausing.

“..Wait..what about Petra..??”

Panting out in concern, Eren’s brows furrowed as Levi realized, cursing under his breath. Shaking his head, he grabbed Eren’s chin roughly, jerking it back to face forward towards him as he rumbled out his response.

“...she isn’t in the picture.”

_What?? So Levi wasn’t going to marry Petra?_

Going back to making out, the kisses were now slower and deeper as Eren happily pressed his lips against Levi’s, lewd noises emitting from the combined action of the two getting sloppy and messy with each other. His mouth slowly made its way down, mouthing at Levi’s neck as the shorter male let out a breathy murmur from the touch. The possible guilt of having been in an affair had been lifted from Eren like a bag of bricks. His mind was still racing with questions however as he had so many things to process from what he was currently doing with his own boss. Not thinking straight, Eren let his hands slip down lower, grabbing Levi’s ass and giving it a squeeze. The action caused Levi to falter and tense up, breath coming to an abrupt halt as he jerked away in shock. Realizing his mistake, Eren quickly lifted his hands off of the other, sheepishly speaking up.

“Shit- sorry, I know you’re probably not used to that..”

The two were both heavily breathing, their breaths at unceremoniously mismatched paces as the sound filled the room. Eyes finally adjusting to the dark, Eren glanced slightly down, a heat pooling in his gut at the sight of a panting, flushed Levi. Glazed over grey eyes stared blearily up at Eren as a rosy flush dusted his boss’ cheeks. Levi’s lips were wet and swollen and he looked undone just from some tongueing. Thickly swallowing, the assistant could only ogle the other’s state with a heated stir, his cock beginning to throb in his pants. Ashen eyes suddenly widened in surprise, as the pink dusted on Levi’s cheeks darkened. A brief silence washed over them before Levi hesitantly broke it.

“.....Eren, are you hard?”

“Huh…?”

Eren blankly stared back at Levi until he finally processed his question. The assistant glanced down and back up at the other. Realizing his lower region's current state, ocean green eyes grew big with abrupt awareness.

_“Oh-!”_

His cheeks flushed darker, realizing Levi’s close proximity allowed the shorter male to be pressed right against his groin, Eren’s twitching hard on pressing against his boss’ thigh. There was no possibility the taller male could have hid it and denial at this point wouldn’t be bought by his boss in the slightest.

While his assistant was panicking, Levi could only remain silent and taken aback, eyeballing the huge tent in Eren’s pants. He never thought about Eren’s dick before and it should have been expected that the man was well endowed given Eren’s height and build but _holy shit_. Eren was more than packing if the huge bulge under the other’s outfit was anything to go by. Feeling heated at the thought of doing anything dirty down there, Levi was snapped back to reality as Eren pushed him slightly back and away from himself.

“Fuck-sorry, just give me a minute…”

Trailing off in a barely audible whisper, Eren was breathing harder than normal, pleasantly overstimulated. He hadn’t made out with someone like that since the start of highschool, let alone in the middle of a party. Still, on edge about the whole situation, Eren sneaked a peek at his boss as Levi was staring at him owlishly, hair tousled himself. Eventually, Levi spoke up slowly in a low mumble.

“Teenagers these days..can’t keep it in your pants?”

Eren scoffed at Levi’s jibe, green eyes lingering downwards as he suddenly grabbed his boss’ lower regions. Jolting in surprise, Levi glared hard at the taller male as Eren chuckled.

“You’re slightly hard too.”

Levi’s ears turned red at the other’s point out, smacking Eren’s hand away before his lower parts had time to react to his assistant’s touch. Feeling a slight heat down there, Levi sharply inhaled, unsure whether he should have felt relieved or more panicked. Relieved over the fact that he was now concrete about his desires towards Eren. After all, it was plenty awkward enough to have the other’s tongue down his throat but even more so if Levi’s impulsive jealousy was falsely misled. However, he felt possibly panicked at the fact that his body had seemed to have a desire for another male on top of his current situation. Scowling at his amused assistant, Levi jabbed his pointer finger into Eren’s chest.

“ _This_. Whatever this is, it stays between the two of us for now.”

Eren’s eyebrows raised at the other’s command. Eren then pushed himself off the door, slightly hunching over to come face to face with Levi as green eyes glinted with mirth as he grinned.

“So you’re saying this isn’t a one time thing? ...not that I’d be mad if you were to tell me this _was._ It's fine even with no strings attached.”

Levi panicked momentarily, hesitating before speaking up again in a serious tone.

“Look...Eren.”

“Yes, _sir_?”

Shooting a warning look at his assistant as Eren teased him, Levi waited for the other to behave before continuing.

“I don’t know..about these kinds of flings and everything. I’m conflicted and I need time to sort things out for myself. I..I’m not used to this...”

The taller male’s expression hardened at Levi’s last sentence, slowly nodding as he looked at the other. Grey eyes scanned green ones as the shorter male then let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, visibly irked.

“..I only just found out five minutes ago that I am able to get it up with the same sex.”

Eren watched Levi silently as the other grimaced at his own words, visibly frustrated. Finally, he spoke up slowly, voice lacking aggression but not containing any playful tones.

“So then why did you pull me in here to make out with me?”

“What..?”

Levi’s vision snapped back up to look back at his assistant. Remembering what triggered his impulsive choice, the shorter male’s ears turned red as he clenched his jaw. Eren’s boss crossed his arms, looking away to the side.

“...you know why.”

Eren’s eyes lit with playfulness as the faintest trace of a smile played on his lips. Grabbing Levi’s waist, he pulled the other in, tilting his head innocently like a puppy. But Eren was anything but innocent. He began pressing Levi with a teasing voice as he the other stubbornly remained looking elsewhere. However, Levi’s red ears told Eren all he needed to know.

“No, I don’t think I know. Since I have such a thick skull, why don’t you tell me?”

Levi shot an icy glare at him out of the side of his eye, speaking up in a growl.

“Shut the fuck up before I make you.”

The threat was left ineffective however as Eren shivered with pleasure at the other’s dominant tone. Yanking Levi in even closer, Eren smirked at him.

“You know that only turns me on when you say things like that.”

The younger male murmured back in a husky, needy voice, causing Levi to scoff nervously. Levi was left slightly flustered as no words came out of his mouth. He couldn’t find a proper rebuttal for how much of a horny bastard Eren was being. It was blatantly sinful how much of a one-eighty Eren's demeanor did when in the mood. No time was wasted as the taller male grabbed Levi’s jaw, jerking the other’ face towards him as he darkly laughed.

“Or should I go back to the kitchen right now?”

At the passive threat, Levi began staring daggers at Eren as he clenched his jaw, too overwhelmed to properly pry the other’s fingers off of his face. Instead, he remained stubborn, staring defiantly at Eren as he made no motion to move his lips or respond. Eren stared back, eyes slightly narrowing at the other’s obvious refusal. The environment was tense as both sides were silently testing each other. Clicking his tongue at Levi, he finally let go of Levi, not wasting time to slide his hand down the door he was leaning against. Finding the door handle, Eren began pulling at it, turning knob as Levi’s jaw tightened at the sound of a click emitting from the action. Showing his threat was genuine, the assistant opened the door as light filtered in along with the sounds of their coworkers’ chattering as he cheekily grinned at the other. 

_Godammnit.._

As Eren turned to leave, a pale hand darted out and grabbed his shoulder. Slamming Eren back against the door to bang it shut, Levi glared at the taller male who stared down at him with silent amusement, waiting for his boss to speak up. Not unsimilar to a predator toying with its food. Begrudgingly, Levi cursed as he let go of Eren’s shoulder and pinched his nose in frustration.

“ _Fine._ I was fucking jealous. Is that what you wanted me to say??”

Spitting out the words with venom, Levi’s ears were burning as he stared a hole into Eren. If looks could kill, Eren would have been dead long ago from Levi. Thankfully they couldn’t. A long sigh left Eren as he shook his head, the smallest hint of a smile pulling at his lips.

“So do you care if I ended up dating Farlan?”

“ _Yes,_ I do fucking care, you idiot.”

“Why? After all the cold treatment?”

“Be..because- I get pissed off when he gets up in your space. I hate it.”

“Armin and Mikasa were telling me to try things out with Farlan..”

As Eren trailed off, Levi’s agitation progressively increased as he spoke with more and more venom in his voice.

“Well, fucking _don’t_.”

“Why?”

Eren watched as Levi blurted the words out, not caring less over filtering his emotions as grey irises ablaze with fury were shot at him.

“ _Cause even though this isn’t anything deep, I don’t want to fucking share you!_ ”

Levi was breathing hard as he came down from his outburst, shoulders tensed as he balled up his hands in frustration and embarrassment over his behavior. Slowly, Eren took a step towards the other. Closing the distance between them, the taller male grabbed one of Levi’s curled up fists, prying it open to prevent Levi’s nails from digging any harder into his palms. Eren then swiftly brought the other’s fingers to his lips, giving Levi’s knuckles a soft kiss as they twitched from the hot softness of his assistant’s lips. Heated green eyes lifted up to look at Levi as the older male flushed, still pissed off but slightly less aggravated after Eren’s coaxing.

“See? Look what being honest gets you.”

Eren murmured as he grinned at Levi, enjoying the moment while the other scowled. Unappreciative of Eren’s patronizing words, Levi yanked his hand out of Eren’s grasp. The older male then grinded his teeth as he glared at Eren who was too smug for his own good. He hated that Eren knew just how affected Levi was when it came to his assistant’s moves now. The brat was getting too confident.

Suddenly, the door handle jiggled, causing Eren and Levi to both whip their heads down towards it in alarm. Fortunately, Eren’s weight against it kept whoever was on the outside from coming in. Breath still, both parties in the room remained silent as they stared at each other. Eren’s eyes were widened in fear as Levi glared at him with alarm, pressing a finger to his lips and motioning for his assistant to keep his mouth shut. Eventually, the door handle stopped jiggling, but no receding footsteps followed after it. Eventually, a voice came from the other side.

“Umm..is anybody in here?”

Armin’s voice came out meekly through the door as Levi shot Eren a look of bewilderment. Levi responded in an irritated frenzy, waving his hand around silently as he glared at Eren, silently questioning why the hell Armin was trying to get in. Shrugging back as he shook his head furiously, the assistant began putting his hands in the air, conveying he had no clue. The two began silently pantomiming each other furiously as time was running by too fast. Levi would have likely been amused by this situation if it wasn’t for the fact that he was a victim in it. Silently threatening Eren to not do anything, the assistant glared back, motioning that he was going to. Finally, Eren huffed before speaking up in a slightly nervous voice.

“Yeah, it’s me..!”

“..Eren..?”

Levi threw his hands in the air, silently cursing at Eren as the other motioned for his boss to remain silent. A momentary pause occurred as Eren was sweating bullets, knowing Armin was silently thinking about why Eren was inside. A brainstorming Armin was nothing to joke about. Eren and Mikasa knew better than anyone else that their friend had the mind of a genius and wits as sharp as a knife.

“Yeah, it’s Eren.”

“What are you doing in there..? Farlan has been wondering where you and Levi went.”

“Uh...I just needed some private space.”

“What- is everything okay??”

Digging his palms into his eyes as he accidentally alarmed Armin, Levi smacked a palm to his own face in exasperation at his assistant’s performance. Eren began racking his brain for a plausible reason. In the midst of his racing thoughts, the blond spoke up again, hesitantly with slight skepticism.

“..I haven’t seen Levi either….is he with you?”

“What- no, he..he went to go take a shit I think!”  
The older male inaudibly snorted at the reason Eren gave, pinching his nose in disbelief. Levi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at his assistant’s excuses at this point.

“Uhh..okay..well, are you okay? Can I come in?”

Armin’s concerned voice echoed through the door again as Eren was bugging out. _Think, Eren, think!!_ What excuse could he give Armin that would keep the other from wanting to check in on him!? Eren couldn’t say there was a problem with his costume..and he couldn’t say he was feeling sick either or else Mikasa would end up busting down the door. Impulsively coming up with the best thing he could, the assistant cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking up nervously.

“Actually, I just need a few minutes..I err, have a situation, you know. Down there..”

Eren could practically imagine Armin’s face turning dark red as the other’s shadow frantically wavered around outside the door, likely extremely flustered over his friend’s excuse. The taller male silently prayed his humiliating excuse was worth it and Armin would walk away. Eventually, his friend spoke up again, voice obviously frantic and squeaky.

“A-ah..! I see- um…”

Feeling a small thud against the door, Armin’s voice then came out in a whisper that barely managed to pass through the wall.

“.....I know we already went over this but….is it possibly because you saw Levi’s costume?”

“Wha-!?”

Flushing a dark red, Eren smacked his face as Levi was a couple feet away, clearly hearing his friend’s question. The shorter male simply arched a brow, a hint of amusement from Armin’s words showing on his face.

“It’s okay, Eren..I didn’t say anything to Mikasa but you were kind of making it obvious..I saw you drooling out Hanji’s fruit punch earlier..”

Eren sputtered, completely caught off-guard by the call out. _Oh god, did everybody see that??_ Shaking his head furiously, the taller male exclaimed in an agitated voice.

“Okay- we can talk about this _later._ Just..let me calm down!?”

“Ah- shoot, you’re right! Sorry..!”

Remembering Eren’s excuse, the blond’s squeaked out an apology, scurrying away as his shadow disappeared from under the door. The assistant then dropped his head in exasperation, forehead thumping against the door as he groaned. Levi, on the other hand, was now feeling entertained as he spoke up smoothly.

“So..should I confirm you’re indeed after my body?”

Eren scoffed before shooting the other a knowing look and joked back.

“You and I both know that I couldn’t help it. Guys love eye candy.”

Levi simply hummed in response. The two stood there in the dark guest room silently, alone in their thoughts and each other’s company. Finally, Eren spoke up in a gentle but serious manner, green eyes shining under the moonlight as they met grey one’s.

“As much as this past hour was a lot to take in...I understand that you need some time to think. Just know whatever we do won’t lessen my admiration or respect for you by any bit, Levi..uh whatever this is. And that I’m more than down for this.”

Grabbing the other’s hands, Eren pressed it to his lips again, brows furrowed in concentration as he shut his eyes, taking in the feeling of Levi. The shorter male could only stare back at him, lips slightly parted in awe as Eren cupped his face with both hands, treating the other like fragile porcelain as his thumb slowly caressed Levi’s cheek. Warm turquoise eyes fondly gazed down at the object of his affections as Eren smiled softly, making Levi’s heart skip a beat. _Was this normal for people to do in “friends with benefits” type of scenarios?_ Only Eren could be so gentle and cautious one minute after roughhousing Levi the next. It was just how emotionally spontaneous Eren was and Levi secretly enjoyed every bit of it. Eren wanted this moment to last forever, to feel like he was on cloud nine with the person he treasured and would do everything for to no ends. Closing his eyes again, Eren pressed his lips against Levi’s forehead as the older man tensed up, not having been treated so...preciously before. The pleasant feeling of Eren’s soft lips against him felt right and made Levi unconsciously exhale softly in contentment. His heart was throbbing at the way Eren was treating him and he didn’t know how to take it. Deciding to risk it all in the end, the older male met Eren’s eyes as soon as his assistant pulled back to face him. Levi let out a shaky breath, choosing to not abruptly outright end whatever they had going on between the two of them.

“...I’ll think about it..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things start to turn up a notch haha. I now have the slow burn starting to pick up the pace.  
> It doesn't feel like Halloween because of the pandemic we're having. Hopefully you guys are having a decent day, Halloween or not. ")  
> If any kids even try getting on my lawn, going to yell at them. I'm not trying to get COVID any time soon.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think.


	18. Office Shenanigans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody. I am back with a new chapter and mostly recovered from my surgery. :)  
> Thank you for the 4800+ hits and 245+ kudos.  
> As you can see, the rating has changed. For some of you, this is your warning that this chapter is NSFW but if I don't have shit for brains, I'm sure that the majority of you have been waiting for something like this to happen.

**Chapter 18**

_Levi & Eren’s POV _

Muscles rippled enticingly under smooth caramel skin, peeking out over a cleanly pressed white collar. Long tan fingers sprawled over a satin black tie, smoothly adjusting it. A pair of jade green eyes skimmed papers, occasionally drifting over to look at the older man across the room with a heated gaze.

_Fuck._

Levi awkwardly coughed, swallowing thickly as he failed to focus on the files in front of him. He couldn’t help it. Every single time he looked at Eren, all he could think about was their steamy but impulsive make out session in Erwin’s guest bedroom. Thankfully, they both managed to slip out unnoticed after Armin left. The issue at hand now was the older man’s imagination and inappropriate provocative thoughts about his assistant that took over his mind in the workplace.

It was very unprofessional.

“Hey, Levi..”

_Big warm hands slipped down Levi’s waist, edging near his ass, desperate for a feel._

“These files are done but the manufacturer is new..”

_Hungry, animalistic sea green eyes bore a hole through the older male as they practically undressed Levi. Craving him. Wanting him._

“I’m thinking it’s the company that just moved into the area. They still need to sign these papers, right?”

_Eren’s tongue was hot and eager, twisting and sucking on Levi’s lips and down his throat. Just enough to tip him over into ecstasy but kept him lusting for more._

“......Levi?”

“Huh?”

Levi snapped out of his thoughts, grey eyes meeting questioning ocean ones as Eren stood in front of his desk, folder in hand. Both silently staring at each other, he didn’t dare to twitch or move a single muscle. _Fuck._ Levi internally grimaced at his own composure, scolding himself harshly. He was acting like a horny teenager, dirty and perverted thoughts of Eren filling his head in the middle of work. He was 34 years old for fuck’s sake. Levi quickly recovered from his short lived zone out, still staring back at the taller male. Eren also remained eerily silent as if he were reading Levi in that moment as well. Levi swallowed cautiously, refusing to show any sign of embarrassment. _Did Eren notice..?_

His assistant eventually arched a brow at the shorter male, a hint of knowing behind his composure as the smallest hint of a cocky grin played at the edge of his mouth.

“Not enough sleep last night?”

 _Shit._ Levi pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes at the younger man before sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs. He played it off.

“As always. But you know how it is.”

A glimmer of amusement was reflected in cerulean green eyes.

“I do know.”

Eren then set the files down on the older male’s desk before going around the desk, sitting on the edge of it right next to his boss. Facing Levi, the assistant leaned in ever so slightly. He proceeded to feign concernment with his next query. However, the words came out more insinuating than questioning.

“...Any reason why you couldn’t sleep?”

“...”

 _Fuck, this idiot was going to be the end of him._ Levi’s jaw clenched slightly, staring hard at Eren. His right eye twitched. _Brat was getting real cocky, huh?_ Eren refused to shy away or back down, staring back at irked steel grey eyes with a mischievous demeanor. Not unlike a big over-friendly wolf pawing at a cranky street cat. Sharply inhaling, Levi interlaced his fingers, tongue jabbing the inside of his right cheek in amused irritation. While he had absolutely zero experience in the gay department, Levi was still a man himself. He knew what buttons to push.

“Yes, actually..”

Eren’s eyebrows raised, obviously not expecting an affirmative answer from the other. Looking slightly confused, the assistant opened his mouth to ask for Levi to elaborate. However, that wasn’t necessary in the end. Before the words could leave the taller male’s mouth, Levi cut him off in a husky, deep purr.

“I was just imagining how it would feel to take your big, fat cock down my throa-”

“Mr. Ackerman?”

A small voice squeaked out from across the room causing Levi to swiftly whip his head towards the front of his office. Armin was at the door, blissfully unaware and far away enough to have not heard a single dirty word from the male’s mouth. However, Eren definitely did. He was absolutely unresponsive to Armin’s entrance as he stood there, stupefied and inappropriately aroused, Eren's back still facing Armin. _Did..Levi just really say something dirty like that?_ As much as Eren had an intense imagination, he knew what he heard. He felt like he was going to sport an obvious hard on if he didn’t concentrate on calming the fuck down after hearing those perverse words from his boss’ mouth. Levi, on the other hand, was as amused as ever. But he kept his composure, remaining absolutely cool in front of Eren’s friend. If it weren’t for Levi’s adept acting, Armin would have likely been on to them a lot faster. The blond was already casting a weird look in Eren’s direction for the lack of his friend’s acknowledgement of Armin’s presence. Fortunately, Armin was a mature and smart man. Even if he had any suspicions or questions, he wouldn’t dare directly question Eren in front of Levi about it at least.

“Yes, Armin?”

Armin cleared his throat, eyes lighting up with remembrance of why he came in and taking his attention off of Eren.

“Ah-! The files..the ones we just gave you today. Erwin said he will need to have them looked over by our department after you brief yours about the new company partnership..!”

“..You mean _these_ files?”

As Levi picked back up the files that were set down by Eren, he discreetly placed a hand on his assistant’s knee. Eren instantly tensed up at the contact, shooting Levi a bewildered look out of the corner of his eye. _Surely, Levi wasn’t doing what Eren thought he was._ Armin perked up at the sight of the papers in Levi’s hand, vigorously nodding.

“Yes! Are you done looking over them yet?”

“Hmm..”

Trailing off as if in deep thought, Levi slowly slid his hand up Eren’s thigh, fingers edging near the assistant's crotch. The lingering touch felt like pleasurable fire against his covered skin. The action made a breathy low huff leave Eren’s lips as he clenched his jaw, alarmed but turned on. Eren couldn’t believe his boss was feeling him up in the office..and in front of his own best friend, Armin, of all people! Curling his fingers, Levi dug his fingers into Eren’s clothed flesh, sending a sharp heat straight to his groin. Eren breathed in deeply, closing his eyes as he was struggling to remain calm, a slight tent already forming in his pants. He would have been more than screwed if Levi didn’t have so many books and files stacked on his desk, covering Eren’s lower body from Armin’s sight.

“...I think I’ve looked at these enough.”

Levi was absolutely calm, leaning forward to hand the files to Armin. As he did so, Levi subtly shifted his hand forward with him, grabbing Eren’s tent in his pants and earning a startled jump from his assistant. Gritting his teeth, Eren shot a burning look at Levi who refused to make eye contact with him. Armin walked forward and grabbed the files meekly, unaware of what was happening.

“Alright, good to know! Thank you, Mr. Ackerman..!”

Grabbing the folder from pale fingers, Armin cast one more glance at Eren. The blond frowned slightly but walked away in the end. As soon as the door was shut again, Levi let out a small sigh, staring at the closed door for a second before speaking up.

“Your friend has a half decent brain. I’m sure he noticed you acting a bit off. Think he’s going to question you about it later?”

Eren remained seated on the edge of Levi’s desk, not bothering to keep himself collected as he was huffing breathily, a slight flush in his face. Levi’s hand was still teasing Eren as the assistant sported a huge tent in his pants. If he had turned around or away from Levi’s stupidly large pile of forms, there was no way Armin wouldn’t have noticed. Eren finally looked back at Levi, irked at how cool and collected the other was while he was left sexually frustrated. As Eren glared at his boss, Levi arched a brow in surprise at the intense look he was receiving from Eren.

A slight shiver ran down Levi’s spine from the heated look.

The other already looked so undone from a little groping. The look of pure hunger and frustration in those jaded green eyes turned on Levi and delivered a feeling of superiority over Eren to him that he relished. Levi’s face remained unreadable and blank as he pulled his hand away, earning a soft groan from Eren. Uncrossing his legs, Levi then scoffed before kicking one of them out and digging the heel of his foot into Eren’s groin. The unexpected action jolted Eren into a heated spur. The assistant began gritting his teeth as he heaved, a mixture of pain and pleasure stirring in his pants from his boss’ merciless heel grinding. Ocean eyes widened at the friction as he struggled to keep himself collected, long tan fingers desperately grasping Levi’s ankle in shock as Eren choked out husky gasps. Levi stared Eren down, his cold steel eyes making Eren feel hot from a mere look. Shifting the mood into a more sexual but tense environment, Levi then spoke up tightly in a condescending voice. Eren didn't fail to miss the slight teasing tone lined underneath.

“Who said you could get hard in my office, Jaeger?”

Digging his heel deeper into Eren’s crotch, an airy groan escaped the young man’s lips as he grimaced, getting desperate for more of Levi’s touch. The other’s cold exterior was turning him on more than he would like to admit. The harder Levi’s leather heel dug into his trousers, the more intensely the pleasure contrasted and intensified for him. Eren always felt like it was possibly he had a kink for Levi’s sadistic tendencies. Whether it was good or bad, this might have just cemented that theory..

Eren was screwed. He had it _bad_ for Levi.

Struggling to reply, the assistant let out a heavy breath before glaring at Levi with half-lidded eyes. Even if he was turned on by the other’s dominatrix attitude, it didn’t mean that Eren got off on absolute meek compliance. If anything, that was the farthest thing from the truth.

“Hah...it’s not exactly...easy to not get hard..when you touch me like this..”

Biting back with a low underlying growl, Eren’s grip tightened on Levi’s ankle. Levi simply scoffed, a small flash of playfulness in stormy grey eyes as he smoothly replied.

“Clearly not.”

The assistant bit the inside of his cheek, the tent in his pants now painfully obvious as his cock strained against the trousers. Eren warily glanced behind him at the door before looking back at Levi.

_Fuck it._

Yanking Levi’s foot up from his groin, Eren pulled the other in by the armrest, the chair jerking forward and putting the two chest to chest, startling Levi. Breath halting at the close proximity, Levi pursed his lips as the brunette panted, hot air ghosting over his boss’ lips. Eren stared at him with a desperate, needing hunger as he growled out breathily.

“Levi, please..do something..”

The smallest trace of a smirk played at the corner of Levi’s lips as he looked at Eren writhing, responding wantonly under his every move. It was a bit of a power rush, being able to make someone who was a foot taller than him beg like that. Mouth slightly open in a scoff, Eren’s boss contemplated the other’s plea, tongue running over the top row of his teeth. The other was practically humping his foot like a dog in heat. Levi could just about feel the heat of Eren’s dick through the fabric of his trousers and the sole of his leather shoe.

Levi was not a man who usually let go or messed around. However, the rush he got whenever he had Eren at his mercy was more addictive than a hard drug. The way he could make those pools of green light up with invigoration or Eren himself to practically melt into a gooey, hot mess. Levi enjoyed it thoroughly, much more than he should. Even testing the waters, he found himself not bothered in the slightest that Eren was a man. The fact in itself couldn’t have been more blatantly obvious as he was practically grinding his heel into his assistant’s erection. A small part of him knew he should have stopped this but he didn’t want to. He couldn’t.

Jerking his ankle out of Eren’s grip, Levi clicked his tongue, staring hard at his sexually desperate assistant. Eren was still heavy with his breaths, swallowing thickly every time Levi made eye contact with him. Levi scoffed. _He was Eren’s boss, yet he was being stared at like a starved dog would at a tender slab of meat._ Eventually, he then stood up, grabbing Eren by his tie and yanking it in hard. Pulling Eren past him, Levi switched their places as he got up and shoved his assistant into the chair in his place. Eren grimaced as he fell into it roughly, the chair squeaking in protest from the rough landing. Staring down at Eren’s tousled state, metalgun eyes trailed from feverish eyes to soft parted lips to the other’s rising and falling chest. Levi sucked in his breath sharply as the sight, feeling that similar sensation of arousement in his own pants. Levi couldn’t doubt he was at the very least immensely sexually attracted to his assistant. He pondered since Halloween if it meant that he was possibly attracted to other men but found his thoughts always and only going back to vibrant ocean irises and long brown locks of hair.

Eren was a special exception.

Levi then stepped forward, Eren’s body tensing up with anticipation with each inch closed between the two by his boss. Coming to a stop in front of Eren, Levi stared his assistant down. Eren swallowed thickly, feeling his cock twitch in response to the other’s cold but heated glare. Pale fingers sprawled out on each of Eren’s knees, the touch sending Eren to the edge as Levi suddenly crouched over, coming face to face with him. Levi's legs buckled and knees softly thudded against the floor. Never in a hundred years did Levi think he would ever be doing this but here he was. If somebody told Levi from the past that he was going to get on his knees in the middle of the office for his assistant, he’d probably cuss a mile of profanities at them before knocking their lights out. But the way Eren looked at him _made_ Levi want to do just that. To help relieve the other and leave him void of all thoughts and utterly senseless.

Breath overlapping with Eren’s, Levi hesitated in kissing the other, deciding to not do so in the end. It wasn’t that the man felt repelled in any way about kissing Eren but it didn’t feel exactly right now that he was in his right mind, thoughts not clouded with jealousy. Slowly getting to his knees, Levi was now under the desk as Eren’s eyes widened in shock.

“Wait..are you going to-”

Levi shot him a glare, replying in a hiss.

“Shut the fuck up, brat. You were the one begging for relief. Sit still.”

Eren’s jaw was practically hitting the floor as his eyes were wide with disbelief. _He must be dreaming._ Levi, the man known around the office as Satan's reincarnate, was about to give him a _blowjob_. 

_Okay,_ Eren would admit that he has had his fair share of wet dreams about his boss but nothing truly compared to the reality. Hands unconsciously going up to his face, Eren felt slightly unsure. He definitely was desperately horny and wanted release..he just didn’t exactly think he was possibly going to release onto his boss’ face. Voice coming out a bit unsure and muffled, Eren spoke up again warily.

“Levi, it’s okay..seriously..I know you’re not..you know-”

“Didn’t I just tell you to _be quiet?_ ”

Snapping at his assistant again, Levi shot him a cold glare, causing Eren to falter but hesitantly comply in the end. _Holy fuck, so this was happening_. Levi was going to suck his dick. Eren tried his best to suppress the feeling of intense excitement from the situation, hands resting on the arm rests as his fingernails sharply dug into the leather. Although he was on cloud nine, Eren was still slightly nervous about Levi. Maybe he would turn tail and back out once he got a good look at Eren’s private parts.

Lifting a hand from Eren’s left knee, Levi slowly unzipped the other’s trousers, the pressure instantly causing Eren’s dick to strain against the boxer fabric now. Levi stared at the tent, swallowing thickly as Eren’s cock was desperate to be freed from it’s confines. Looking back up at Eren, the other shot him a reassuring but sexy stare. Levi scoffed. It seemed like Eren’s nerves were the ones ready to practically combust even though it was Levi who was giving head for the first time.

Testing the waters, Levi grabbed Eren’s clothed member, rubbing it slightly as Eren shuddered. _That was definitely a fucking dick, alright._ Levi then proceeded to part his lips, leaning down as he began mouthing the other’s cock through the thin fabric. His assistant was already breathing hard again, fists clenched as he tried his best to remain composed. Eren’s cheeks were flushed as he looked down at Levi with half lidded eyes, hot breaths escaping his lips. As Eren lifted a hand to touch his boss, Levi stopped briefly, snatching Eren’s wrist as he shot him another warning look.

“No moving. If you don’t keep still then I’ll let you take care of this on your own, brat.”

Swallowing thickly, Eren hesitantly nodded, pulling his hand back to tightly grip the armrest. The assistant guessed it was likely due to the other being wary still and wanting complete control of the situation. Something he knew Levi tended to prefer often when adjusting to something he wasn’t used to.

Precum began leaking out Eren’s erection, mixing with Levi’s saliva as it stained his boxers. Chewing the inside of his cheek, Eren tried his best to keep patient as Levi lapped at his dick through the cotton. He never thought he’d hate boxers more than he did in that moment. Laying his head against the back of the chair, Eren’s brows furrowed as he watched his boss’ small pink tongue flick out against his confined member, twirling slowly around his boxers.

“evi..Levi..please..”

Grunting out needily, Eren seethed as the older man eventually complied by the time his lower regions were aching for release. Grabbing the hem of Eren’s boxers, Levi swallowed warily before yanking them down. Eren’s dick came out, dribbling heaps of precum and twitching needily. _Holy shit._ Levi’s eyes widened in slight shock at the size, momentarily intimidated.

Eren was fucking huge. Could Levi even fit that in his mouth!?

Eren’s dick was rock hard and looked to be 8 inches. Noticing the other’s shocked response, the assistant sharply inhaled before adjusting himself to sit up straight. Looking at Levi fondly, Eren had a look of worried reassurance.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. You can still sto-”

“ _S_ _hut the fuck up and just let me suck your dick, Eren._ ”

Spitting out aggressively, Levi cut him off as Eren’s mouth snapped shut. Eren was silenced, cheeks slightly flushed from his boss’ profanity. Levi had quickly regained his composure, pale fingers wrapping around the base of Eren’s member and squeezing tightly out of spite. The action caused a stifled groan to escape from his assistant as Eren winced. A small part of the assistant absolutely relished the way Levi was rough and snarky.

Grey eyes trailed back down to Eren’s throbbing cock, rock hard and desperately twitching from neglect. Pursing his lips, Levi leaned forward, parting them and sticking his tongue out, licking a long stripe up the underside of his assistant’s erection. Moving his head to the side, Levi began teasing the base, lapping the side of the other’s member and teasingly nipping at it. It tasted a bit salty but felt hot against his tongue. A satisfying moan slipped out of Eren’s lips as his dick began dribbling precum again. Levi clicked his tongue in exasperation before quickly running the wet muscle up Eren’s cock again. Levi’s tongue made its way up as it meekly cleaned and lapped up the transparent fluid trickling out.

Eren was desperate, fingernails tightly embedded into each of the arm rests as he stared down at Levi hungrily. Damn, it felt good- _really_ good. He stared down at the sight before him, trying to engrain every pixel into his memory to keep forever. This was definitely going to be his jerk off material for years. Levi looked up at him with heated eyes, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he continued hungrily lapping at Eren’s dick. The other’s cocky expression made Eren’s heart pound with excitement, cock jerking in excitement as a result.

Suddenly, the door clicked open. Eren’s head whipped up fast as he felt Levi’s tongue twitch in shock against his dick. Startled jade green eyes stared at Jean as his friend walked in, completely oblivious to the situation and looking down at the files he was going through in his hand. Eren could feel Levi’s body freeze up under the desk between his legs.

“Hey, Mr. Ackerman, I got some new files from Armin- huh?”

Finally looking up, Jean stared back at Eren, visibly confused as his friend was in Levi’s seat with their boss nowhere to be found.

“What the..why are you sitting at our boss’ desk?”

Eren’s eyes were wide, a million thoughts rushing through his head as Jean stared at him back. Ocean eyes swept down at the table before tapping the first folder he could see.

“..Levi went to the bathroom and asked me to go over the files at his desk.”

A brief pause of silence washed over the two as Eren violently prayed internally for Jean to hurry up and accept the dumb reason.

Eventually, the two tone haired male did thankfully.

“Oh, okay.”

Slowly nodding as he stroked his goatee, Jean shrugged before looking around the office while Eren gritted his teeth in frustration, silently wishing horse face would leave already. Unfortunately, things never went Eren’s way. Leaning against the doorway, Jean crossed his arms before striking up a conversation.

“So, about that Halloween party..did you see Nifa?”

Eren opened his mouth to reply, heart skipping a beat as the words were snatched from his mouth. Levi was still under the desk, fully aware of Jean’s presence as the shorter male still proceeded to wrap his lips around the head of Eren’s half hard cock, teasing it. Sticking his tongue out, he then lapped a long, wet strip up the underside of his assistant’s cock. Startled and jerking forward in Levi’s seat, Eren choked on his words as turquoise eyes widened in shock.

“Woah..are you alright, man?”

Jean’s face twisted into slight concern as he was about to leave the doorway and check up on Eren. The assistant shook his head, holding up a hand adamantly to tell Jean to stay put. Coughing awkwardly, Eren clenched his right hand, fingers pressing into the wooden desk as Levi’s tongue twirled around the tip of his dick.

“Yeah yeah, I’m alright, dude- Just uh..just was remembering the party.”

Speaking out with the slightest hint of a strain, Eren laughed nervously as he shot a bewildered look under the desk at his boss. _Holy shit- was Levi seriously going to keep sucking his dick with Jean in the room!?_

Levi blatantly ignored the look the younger man flashed at him, proceeding to do just that. He continued to swallow down Eren’s dick obscenely, drool dribbling out of his mouth and past his chin as he stared heatedly at Eren from under the foot of the desk. Eren swallowed thickly, already rock hard again.

Jean chuckled, grabbing Eren’s attention back up as he clenched his jaw, trying to remain visibly composed to his friend.

“The party, huh? Yeah, man, we’re both thinking the same thing, am I right?”

Having no fucking clue was Jean was talking about, Eren warily nodded just to get through the conversation faster as his boss was lewdly swallowing his cock. Jean whistled lowly as he smirked, carrying the conversation as Eren’s knee jerked when Levi decided to test his gag reflex and went down even further. A shaky breath stuttered its way out of the assistant’s lips as Levi lowered his head, taking in as much of Eren’s cock as he could. Levi managed to get a little more than half of his assistant’s length before the tip of Eren’s erection hit the back of his throat, causing him to slightly tear up. Eren, on the other hand, felt like he was in heaven and hell at the same time, being forced to feign interest in Jean’s dumb provocative observations as Levi was obscenely deepthroating him under his desk.

“Nifa, man..she seriously has some nice boobs. She came in wearing that sexy cat costume too. Think that shit showed her body more than covered it. I bet you she’s trying to bag one of the higher ups with that act she’s got going on.”

“Mm..I think you’re onto something, dude.”

Rasping out in agreement, Eren spoke through slightly gritted teeth as Jean remained blissfully unaware, grinning back cockily at his friend’s concurrence.

“Would you tap that though? I mean, if you were a higher up.”

Eren barely registered Jean’s question, more focused on the hot muscle twirling and slurping it’s way around his dick. Half nodding, he agreed listlessly.

“Uhh yeah, man..yeah.”

Eren’s response seemed to piss off Levi as the older man then slightly bit down on Eren’s dick, earning a jolt of pain from him. The assistant slightly jerked in his seat, refraining from wincing more than he had to as a sharp exhale of air escaped his lips.

“Ack-”

“Eren, _you good?”_

Jean asked again, looking slightly more concerned than before as his friend nodded again. Eren cursed under his breath at Levi’s spiteful attack.

“Yeah, man..I’m good, I’m good- just got a cramp.”

Eren’s friend stared skeptically at him again. Jean paused for a second, sniffing the air before his nose slightly crinkled.

“...Is it just me or does it smell kinda weird in here?”

Eren’s heart stopped for a split second before he shakily scoffed at his friend’s claim. 

“..Think you’re going crazy dude.”

Jean shot him a look before rolling his eyes.

“Whatever you say, suicidal maniac.”

Jean placed his hands on his hips before sighing.

“Alright..well, if you need anything then I’ll be back at my desk. I’ll let Ackerman know later. Dude’s probably going to return from the bathroom any minute now..wouldn’t want him to think I’m slacking.”

“Yeah, man..you’re right.”

Eren’s response earned another weirded out look from Jean. In their friendship, agreements were not always common, especially with the way Eren was being compliant in this instance. Deciding to just drop it, Jean fortunately shook his head before taking his leave and shutting the door. The moment the door clicked closed, Eren jerked his head down in bewilderment, letting out a shaky breath of disbelief.

“Are you insane..!? Jean was _right there_..!”

Levi simply stared back up at him, unfazed as he still had Eren’s dick down his throat. _Fuck, that was really hot._ Eren gulped at the erotic display of his boss on his knees for him, grey eyes dripping with arousal as Levi’s cheeks were flushed enticingly, one side bulging with the assistant’s cock pressed against the inside of his cheek. Levi noticed the other’s lustful gaze, a muffled scoff escaping his mouth as the sound vibrated in Levi’s throat, causing Eren to groan. He remained ignoring Eren's complaint, attempting to get his assistant’s member all the way down his throat. Slowly lowering his head, tears pricked at the corner of his eyes again as Levi stifled his breathing. Having a majority of the other’s length down his throat, he struggled to keep his gag reflex from occurring as Eren shuddered and let out a low moan.

“F-fuck...so good, Levi..”

Groaning out in a husky, low voice, Eren’s bedroom tone sent a shiver of satisfaction down Levi’s spine, motivating him to keep going. Levi pulled his hand away from the base of Eren’s erection, placing his hands on the other’s knees. Beginning to bob his head, Levi traced his tongue along his assistant’s cock, letting the tip hit the back of his throat. Eren was in ecstasy, feeling the searing heat of the insides of Levi’s mouth squeeze down on his member. Unconsciously rocking his hips, Eren looked down at the view, extremely turned on and near release. He hadn't gotten any form of intercourse since..well since the beginning of highschool. It honestly felt a bit wrong getting a blowjob from his boss in the middle of their office. Probably because it was unprofessional..but Eren couldn’t care less and obviously Levi didn’t either. Besides, it was _really_ hot.

Feeling the tip of his dick hit the back of Levi’s mouth again, Eren sucked in a breath as he accidentally bucked his hips slightly, causing his cock to go down his boss’ throat and Levi to gag. Mumbling out a shaky apology, Eren planted his ass against the back of the chair firmly as Levi recovered. If it weren’t for his wariness and Levi’s first time doing oral on a guy, Eren wasn’t so sure he’d have been able to keep himself from roughly and mercilessly fucking right into the tight hotness of Levi’s throat. He didn’t want to scare his boss off or receive a brutal tongue lashing however and did his best to stay put. Stubbornly continuing, Levi bobbed his head, letting Eren’s cock slip in and out of his mouth as lewd slurping sounds began filling the room. A couple tears slipped out of Levi’s eyes as he twirled his tongue around Eren’s cock, hollowing his cheeks as he tried not choking on the other’s precum mixed with his own drool. His jaw was beginning to feel sore from the action but his assistant seemed to fortunately be on the brink of release. Small low growls and groans trickled out of Eren’s lips as he felt himself climaxing. He didn’t know how Levi managed to take in most of his length for the very first time but it left him feeling more than pleasant.

“Levi..I’m gonna cum..”

Choking out in a mutter, Eren lifted his hand, cupping the side of Levi’s jaw and gently nudging him to pull away. Levi ignored him as usual, continuing to suck on Eren’s dick like it was a lollipop. The hot pink muscle swirled around Eren’s cock as he continued pumping it with his mouth, causing the brunette to pant. On the brink of his release, Eren tried warning his boss one last time, pressing at the other’s jaw with slight urgency as he groaned.

“Levi..! I...you need to stop..I’m going to-”

Levi lifted his own hand, grabbing Eren’s wrist and roughly pulling it away from his face. Forcing Eren’s cock down his throat again, he choked as he managed to take in all of Eren’s length, nose buried in the other’s sparse hair. The motion sent the assistant over the edge, climaxing. Eren let a husky moan escape his lips as he threw his head back, fingers curling as he began cumming down Levi’s throat. The white fluid shot straight into Levi’s mouth as he slightly gagged. Eren’s cum was thick and warm, coating every crevice in Levi’s mouth. _Fucking Christ_..

Cussing inside his head, Levi blinked hard as Eren’s cum was too much to swallow. Levi tried gulping it down but some of it still spilled over his lips, cum dribbling over his chin. Jerking his head back, the older male began cursing as he hacked, blinking back tears as he looked up at Eren with furrowed brows.

“Jesus fucking christ...you cum like a horse.”

“Sorry..I couldn’t help it..”

Eren sheepishly apologized in a barely audible mumble, breathing heavily as he was slowly descending post-climax. Eren looked absolutely wrecked and it made his boss a bit turned on, curious about what more he could do to shove the assistant off the edge. Collapsed on the chair, Eren had his head tilted back as he regained his breaths, staring at the ceiling in disbelief. 

_Levi just gave him a fucking blowjob. His boss who was supposed to be straight had practically deepthroated Eren’s dick in the middle of his own office._

Levi got up from his knees, hand hovering under his chin as Eren’s cum was still dribbling from his lips, so much that it was beginning to drip down his chin as well. Eren quickly realized, immediately sitting back up and grabbing the tissue box from the corner of Levi’s desk. Shooting Eren a look, Levi silently snatched a tissue out of the box in the teenager’s hand, not wasting time to clean his mouth up. He began wiping Eren’s fluid from his chin, looking to the side. The assistant hastily began zipping back up his pants and buttoning them. His briefs were still damp with his boss’ saliva but it was a small price to pay and Eren didn’t mind it at all in comparison to what he got out of it. Gingerly wiping his fingers, Levi flung the crumpled tissues into the trash can, finally meeting Eren’s eyes.

“Well. This proves we’re sexually compatible.”

Eren slowly nodded, a nervous laugh escaping him as he stood up from Levi’s desk.

“That’s a good thing, right?”

Levi hummed in response, running a hand through his hair before looking away again.

“...I don’t see how it isn’t.”

Eren felt his stomach knot, smiling in response to feign reassurance. However, internally, Eren was slightly conflicted. The assistant watched Levi resume work as if nothing happened, picking up the files on his desk and going over them. Eren had no idea what Levi and him were. His boss made it clear that he needed to think about this physical set up yet he just had oral sex with him. Eren also felt a small glimmer of satisfaction in the fact that Levi got jealous over him. However, that meant nothing more in reality. Eren can maintain a physically beneficial relationship with Levi. Nothing more...right? Deciding to ignore the small creeping sense of insecurity in the corner of his mind, Eren shook his head, earning a weirded out look from Levi. Walking over to his boss, he wrapped his arms around the other from behind his boss. Levi momentarily paused but remained quiet in the end, grey eyes flicking over the words on the sheet. The taller male decided to indulge himself a bit, nuzzling his head into the crook of Levi’s neck. Levi relaxed, accepting the sign of affection as Eren spoke up again.

“...was that okay for you?”

Levi glanced at Eren out of the corner of his eye, briefly in thought before responding smoothly.

“Jaeger, stop pissing yourself. If I didn’t want to do it then I wouldn’t have.”

Softly laughing at Levi’s words, the assistant then slowly inhaled, smelling the combination of cigarettes and Levi’s cologne that comforted him. After a few seconds, however, Levi spoke up again, a slight softness in his usually firm voice.

“I don’t mind you touching me Eren but we’re in the office..I can’t have you hugging me in plain sight if somebody comes in.”

“Ah- you’re right..sorry about that.”

Quickly pulling his hands away, Eren dryly laughed, rubbing the back of his neck instead. Glancing at the door, he then looked back at Levi before speaking up again.

“..are you maybe free this weekend?”

Pausing in the middle of reading, Eren’s boss looked up at the other, replying.

“I don’t have any plans.”

“I was thinking maybe we could hang out..”

Trailing off, the assistant looked at his boss hopefully. Unable to easily reject those puppy dog eyes, Levi scoffed amusedly at the other’s expression.

“Sure. My place or yours?”

“Oh- my place..?”

Replying with a slight confusion, Eren wasn’t expecting to choose between the options given to him. He didn’t even consider assuming they were going to hangout at one of their homes but replied quickly anyways, too eager to set plans. Levi paused, looking away as he asked another question.

“...is Armin going to be there?”

Staring blankly at his boss, the thoughts in Eren’s head began to eventually click.

_Oh. So that’s what Levi wanted to do._

“...He’s going to visit his grandfather’s grave on Saturday.”

“So Saturday it is then.”

Before Eren could speak up again, Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, a look of disgust coming over his face.

“..We need to ventilate this place and clean it. I don’t need anybody questioning why it smells fucking weird in here either.”

“Oh- you’re right.”

Quickly complying, Eren walked over and opened the door, allowing some air to flow through as he glanced back at the other who was already going back to work at his desk. Standing by the door for a short moment, Eren thought to himself.

_He was excited about spending time with Levi..but was the other actually expecting to..do stuff?_

Eren’s cheeks flushed slightly as he walked back to his own desk.

_Spending time together at Eren’s home. It was sort of like a date.._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll add on the NSFW tags after a few days so it isn't a spoiler for readers that are keeping up to date.  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think. I'm not used to writing graphically in a sexual context but I hope this chapter sufficed.


	19. Cat Out Of The Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with chapter 19. Thank you for the 270 kudos and 5400+ hits.  
> I'm recovered from my surgery but definitely need to get back into shape after being forced to be dormant for that long.  
> Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter 19**

_Eren’s POV_

_Apartment cleaned up? Check._

_Hair neatly tied up? Check._

_Nice casual clothes? Check._

_Wait...Eren’s breath didn’t smell, did it?_

Lifting a hand to his mouth, Eren checked his breath despite having brushed his teeth three times that day. He’d brush it a fourth time too if it meant his chances of getting accepted went up by one percent. As expected, the scent was minty fresh, earning self-approval from himself. He glanced at the clock in the kitchen. It was five minutes till six, meaning the other should arrive any minute now. Glancing around, Eren shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling nervously excited. He couldn’t help it after all. It was the first time him and Levi were going to be hanging out ever since Eren had somehow miraculously escaped the friend zone.

Eren knew. He knew in the back of his head that there were no attachments but he sometimes found himself wanting it so bad. Wanting Levi so bad. From every single time his fingers affectionately brushed Levi’s hair to the side to each look directed at him from the other, Eren’s heart could only go so much faster, constantly on the cusp of combustion at the mere sight of the man. Was it so bad of Eren to hope or at least allow himself to enjoy the situation a little while he was in it?

Suddenly hearing a soft but solid knock on the door, Eren’s head whipped to the front. Levi was here. Gulping silently, he mentally smacked away at his feelings of nervousness as he wasted no time in walking fast to the entrance. Eren shut his eyes, small prayers to a false deity spilling from his lips for a last attempt to calm himself before swinging open the door.

Levi stood there, arms crossed and already looking directly into wide ocean eyes as if he was able to see Eren through the door the whole time. The shorter man was dressed casually which ironically made the assistant feel all the more jittery in comparison to the usual sight of the other wearing work attire. Eren hungrily eyed the way creamy skin delicately carved the other’s defined collarbones before teasingly dipping behind grey cloth. Only Levi could look this sexy in a simple long sleeved grey shirt. A faint trace of cologne and cleaning spray could be detected off the other, enticing the assistant even more. Eren wouldn’t put it past Levi to have cleaned up his house in addition to himself before coming over. Unconsciously licking his lips out of a combination of nerves and lust, Eren realized his action as soon as he did it, causing Levi to raise a brow at the young man. Levi finally spoke up, a hint of amusement edging his jab at the other.

“So are you going to let me in or stare at me until you cream your pants in the doorway, Jaeger?”

Caught off guard by the other’s blunt language, Eren’s eyes widened before he flushed slightly and stepped to the side.

“Uh- sorry about that..come in..”

A low chuckle escaped Levi’s lips as he took up Eren’s invitation, stepping through the doorway and taking off his shoes. Eren felt embarrassed over his blatant ogling but was quickly distracted from his thoughts by his boss’ voice.

“You look nice.”

Jade green eyes snapped up to Levi’s face, cheeks hot from those three words. Levi was staring back at him, grey eyes shining with a glimmer of amusement as they affectionately stared at Eren. Nobody else but Eren. Levi’s tone was warm unlike his usual timbre, like small flames flickering amongst the midst of winter. It reminded Eren how much he enjoyed hearing the other’s voice.

“..thanks..you too.”

Sheepishly responding, Eren weakly chased back the other’s compliment. Levi shot him what was seen as a barely passable smile before walking ahead. Slightly confused as he watched Levi nearing the hall, Eren spoke up again, a furrow in his brows.

“Where are you going?”

Not bothering to stop in his tracks, Levi disappeared down the hall, replying back nonchalantly.

“Your bedroom obviously.”

Standing by the front dumbly, Eren was stuck in place, tilting his head sideways like a confused puppy at the hallway entrance. His brain was currently processing Levi’s response. _His bedroom? Why was Levi headed straight to his.._

_Oh._

A dark crimson made its way into Eren’s cheeks as he nervously swallowed. Maybe he was oblivious when it came to certain things but there was no way that’s what Levi meant, right? Maybe the other just felt more comfortable hanging out in Eren’s room instead..

Feeling slightly hesitant, the assistant grimaced and shook his head before forcing himself to move, walking quickly after the other. Eren could hear his heartbeat going off as he made his way down the hall, eyes gravitating towards the soft glow pouring out of his and Armin’s open bedroom door. Usually, seeing such a thing wouldn’t make Eren blink an eye. Any other day he’d stroll in, complaining and grumbling about his life as his eyes would familiarize with a blonde bowl cut and bright blue eyes that could be identified as Armin. Instead, Eren walked through the doorway, green irises falling on raven black strands gracefully feathering mercury eyes. Levi was staring once again at the pictures on his dresser. After all the times they’ve spent together talking about their mothers, it wasn’t a surprise that the photo of Eren’s mother was the one his boss decided to fixate himself on. Eren stared at the other silently as Levi slowly lifted a hand, picking up the wooden frame and bringing it closer to him. An unreadable expression was on Levi’s face as he gazed down at Carla Jaeger eternally smiling at her son. Walking behind Levi, Eren spoke up in a wistful voice, smiling as his brows turned up. 

“She would have liked you.”

Levi turned around, pausing for a moment before responding in an awkward tone.

“...not a lot of people like me.”

A small laugh escaped Eren’s lips as he slightly towered over Levi, reaching out a hand and slipping it over Levi’s. Long tan fingers intertwined with pale ones as they both held the photograph. Eren’s boss slightly tensed at the touch. He didn’t attempt to move or pull away. He understood the underlying question in Levi’s statement.

“She would have. She’d like the person that makes her son smile so much and feel like he’s on cloud nine.”

Silver eyes widened momentarily, caught off guard. Levi felt a small contentment at Eren’s words but found himself feeling awkward still. Noticing the other’s surprise, Eren laughed softly before fondly stroking a thumb against the contours of his mother’s face pressed underneath the glass. It was apparent that Eren would always feel something akin to painful love whenever it came to Carla Jaeger.

It was just how it was when losing somebody you love.

“She would have probably pulled off your ear for cussing so much but oh well..”

Turning to the left, Eren smiled at Levi, those beautiful pools of emerald staring at him like he was the center of the fucking universe. As always, Eren would try covering up his pain with a half tasteless joke and that endearing smile.

“..that’s what mothers do, right?”

Levi’s heart skipped a beat as he stared back, expression placid as his chest constricted at those pearly whites and the other’s right dimple. Damn Eren for being so breathtakingly attractive despite the melancholy subject.

“..yes.”

The corner of Eren’s mouth twitched at his boss’ simple agreeance, turning back to the photo and staring at it one last time. Levi was no longer staring at Carla Jaeger but instead at the way Carla Jaeger was being looked at by her son. The way his assistant stared at the image of Carla Jaeger felt familiar. The loving gaze, full of warmth and life as the corners of Eren’s eyes crinkled in adoration. It felt similar but not quite identical...and Levi couldn’t explain it. Eren gently pried the photo away quite easily as Levi remained pondering for an answer. He was busy staring at his assistant, deep in thought. _It felt so familiar but Levi still couldn’t put his finger on it.._

Eren, finally noticing his boss’ attention on him, stared back at Levi. A silent companionable pause fell between them as the brunette stared back curiously. Then Eren smiled.

_..ah._

Jaw clenched, Levi’s breath stuttered as the other grinned at him, Eren laughing nervously from the shorter male’s staring. Ocean eyes looked at him with the warmth and heated, sentimental passion of a burning fire. The older male said nothing, flushing slightly before jerking his head away.

_..That was where he recalled the same look Eren made._

“Levi? Are you okay?”

The assistant asked innocently as he quickly placed the photograph back in its place, face jerking dangerously close to his boss’ as he stared worriedly. Caught off guard, Levi stumbled back out of surprise, accidentally tripping over the edge of Eren’s bed and falling onto it. Very smooth. Wincing as he rubbed the back of his head, Levi caught the other looking momentarily concerned before Eren’s hand quickly went up to his face. Realizing the other’s reaction, the older male scowled.

“What the fuck is so funny, Eren?”

Eren laughed, shoulders shaking as Levi continued glaring at him.

“Sor..sorry..! I didn’t think you’d get scared so easily like that-”

Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance at the other’s laughing, not hesitating to dart his hand out and yank at Eren’s shirt. Levi tugged roughly at it, forcing Eren to stop snickering as he was jerked down onto his bed to the right of his boss. The wind was knocked out of Eren from his collision into the cushion. Now it was Levi’s turn to laugh as Eren lifted his head from the mattress and frowned, rubbing his nose. Unlike Eren’s. Levi’s laugh was barely audible, coming out in soft breathy huffs. It had its own type of charm to it that Eren melted over. Rubbing his shoulder, Eren huffed with an ingenuine complaint.

“Well ouch..”

“Karma’s a bitch.”

Levi stated coolly as the other scoffed at him and replied hastily.

“I think karma is supposed to happen spiritually, not forcefully by your own actions..”

Shooting Eren a look, Levi pursed his lips before staring hard at him, trying to come off as unamused as possible.

“Eren. Shut up.”

“Ok..”

Sheepishly replying, Eren tugged on a strand of his hair before Levi pouted and pulled his pack of cigarettes out. The assistant eyed the other. Even doing adult things, Levi was too cute.

“Do you mind if I smoke?”

Eren shook his head as he got on his knees on the bed, reaching over to the windows. Armin would probably kill him for letting somebody smoke in their apartment.

“No, let me just open the windows so it doesn’t stick around.”

Levi silently nodded, shaking the box as he pulled a cigarette out. Prying the window open, Eren faltered in turning back to his boss as his eyes met the night sky and locked onto it. Although a bit hard to see, the stars were present, silently twinkling and winking back at him. Eren sighed softly, a small smile slipping onto his face as he looked up at the tiny diamonds embedded into black marble. Suddenly, darkness enveloped the brunette and the stars grew bigger, swelling in pride as the yellowish hue was stripped from Eren’s field of view of the night sky.

“It’s beautiful.”

A low whisper emitted from the right of Eren. The young man turned to look at Levi. His boss had turned the light off in the bedroom and returned to the spot next to the taller male, the stars now being the only source of illumination for the two. Eren gazed at Levi as his boss stared up at the sky, cigarette snug between his lips as he took a drag. Grey eyes softened as scattered moondust was reflected in the small pool of black in the center of his eyes. In that moment, it felt like it was just the two of them left in the world. Concerned thoughts like not being the one for Levi or loving another man...they seemed far away, distant and muffled to Eren. He was only in that moment, then and there, where all he could take in was the image of his affections at his side. Even when Eren had given up, those types of worried thoughts came to haunt him but not now. For now, it was peaceful under the blanket of stars next to Levi. The brunette echoed the other’s words in a choked whisper.

“..it is beautiful.”

Levi turned to Eren, his assistant not flinching or bothering to hide his ogling. It was clear Eren wasn’t referring to the stars like Levi when emerald irises were focused on something else. Or rather somebody else. Unlike the time at the sunset, Levi was now looking back at Eren as their silhouettes hung still against nature’s canvas. The assistant was absolutely smitten. He loved the way moonlight looked on Levi, cascading against the right side of his face as stardust played in the loose strands of his onyx hair. Either way, whether it was the bright office lights or the soft glowing undertones of the night sky, Levi would never look any less captivating no matter where. The other seemed unsure and off put by the assistant’s compliment, staring blankly back at Eren but the younger male could still see the rosy tint on the tips of Levi’s ears, flushed from embarrassment. Levi seemed to be thinking, almost calculatively, before he awkwardly leaned in towards his assistant.

Despite having smoked, cold soft lips pressed against Eren’s neck as he was caught off guard by the sudden forwardness. Eren relished the sensation as he felt his pulse throb where the other’s mouth lingered. Although he didn’t say anything, Eren was well aware that the other had been avoiding kissing Eren on the lips. At least of his own initiative since Halloween. Levi would let Eren kiss him but each time left a bittersweet sensation in the assistant’s chest, the older male being almost unresponsive and still like a doll each time. Still, Eren couldn’t break out of the cycle, desperate for any semblance of affection he could get from Levi. A simple glance from the other to the searing heat he felt in his heart from Levi’s lips, it was an addiction to Eren like cool water to a parched traveler in the middle of a desert. Against common sense, Eren didn’t just crave it. Now that he had a taste, he _needed_ it. Even if it was not kissing, any form of contact from Levi would always send Eren’s heart into overdrive..but something felt off in this moment. Suddenly, Levi’s free hand made its way up the other’s torso, trying to slip under Eren’s shirt. Eren’s thoughts clicked into place as he had a creeping suspicion. Grabbing Levi’s hand, Eren stopped the other from taking off his shirt as he pulled away. Ash trickled off of Levi’s cigarette, falling outside the window from his other hand as Levi straightened his back. He shot a look at his assistant, lost on why Eren was stopping him.

“..You don’t like it?”

Eren’s eyes widened and he shook his head quickly, frantic to correct Levi.

“No, no, that’s not it at all! I just..”

Looking away as he hesitated, concerned green eyes made their way back to Levi’s. Eren curled his fingers, wrapping them around Levi’s hand and grabbing his boss’ other one. Forcing Levi to drop his cigarette, Eren clasped the smaller male’s cold fingers within his hands, holding onto them tightly. He didn’t want their relationship to go in the wrong direction. Inhaling deeply, Eren let out a soft sigh as Levi stared at him quizzically.

“Just...it feels like we’re going pretty fast. It also felt like you made a move on me so suddenly..”

Staring blankly back, Levi paused in thought. Glancing to the side, he seemed to speak slowly as if sorting his thoughts out aloud.

“..I thought you were implying for me to do something. You complimented me.”

Eren was surprised by the other’s response to say the least. Emerald irises widening, his shocked expression soon changed back to concern again as Eren spoke up in a soft tone upon further realization. Much like the one he used that late night he visited Levi.

“Levi..I called you beautiful cause I just wanted to call you beautiful. Not because I wanted you to start getting sexual with me right now..”

It tore a bit at Eren’s heart that Levi thought in such a way. That the man before him that he cherished so much was unable to process a simple compliment without thinking it was for incentives. So much that Levi would assume the one Eren gave him was for ulterior motives. Eren wanted to make sure Levi knew he was wrong. Huffing in disappointment, he then pulled Levi’s hands up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss against them. Pale fingers twitched from the soft heat as Levi sat there, unsure of what to say or do. Eren didn’t waste time. Going under the other’s limbs, he looped Levi’s arms around his neck, suddenly pulling Levi onto his lap. Eren’s boss was taken aback, unsure of how to react as he shifted with slight awkwardness in his new seat. It was definitely an intimate position. Eren then wrapped his right arm around the other’s waist, using his left hand to cup Levi’s jaw.

“Let me repeat myself. You’re so beautiful, Levi.”

Stroking his thumb against Levi’s cheek, Eren smiled lovingly at him as he pressed their bodies flush together, whispering sweet nothings into his boss’ ear.

“I’m saying this because I want to and I don’t expect anything from you in compensation. The way you command yourself in a room is beautifully intimidating. The way your eyes turn into that stormy grey and how your lips are so small and soft. You make my heart..you make it go absolutely crazy.”

Eren crooned in a low, needing voice as Levi felt tensed up against him. Not hearing a response, the assistant felt insistent. He continued praising the object of his affection in an affirmative, loving tone. Like to a deity, Eren felt like a worshipper, yearning and desperate to profess his endearment now that he had the chance. His pace quickened, intensifying with desperate affection and the need to get his message across.

“From the very tips of your fingers to the edges of your hair, I can’t help but want it all. I just want to be the one reflected in your eyes every waking moment, the one who can risk it all for you, the one who comes to your mind first when it wanders, the one wh-”

“ _Alright,_ I get it already! Jesus fuck..”

Snapping out in a hiss, Levi jerked his chin out of the other’s hand and cut Eren off, causing the younger male to clam up.

_Shit, he got ahead of himself..maybe he shouldn’t have said all of that.._

Internally wincing at himself, the brunette felt Levi’s hand shove against his chest as he took a good look at his boss’ face and..

 _Huh?_ Surprised ocean irises stared at the other who was currently trying to cover their face but it was too late. Already detecting the familiar flush in Levi’s ears, Eren’s shocked expression slowly turned to a pleased one as the corner of his mouth twitched upward. A wide grin was on Eren’s face as he ever so slowly leaned in, speaking up with amusement to the other.

“Let me see your face.”

“No.”

Stating coldly, Levi remained stubborn before Eren decided to take a risk yet again. Grabbing Levi’s hand from his chest, Eren pried off the other’s fingers before slipping his hand downward to clasp around Levi’s wrist. Suddenly, Levi’s vision blurred as he was pushed back by Eren, tensing up at the sudden shove. Falling back onto his assistant’s bed, Levi let out a sharp exhale as blown grey eyes stared up at Eren in shock. He was frozen, the air filled with tension as Eren was on top of him, looking down at Levi and seeing his face clearly finally. Levi’s cheeks were flushed in a way Eren had never seen before. It was funny to think that he ever thought his boss was incapable of blushing before. It was illegally adorable. Staring down in surprise, Eren found himself more than happy that he was able to elicit such a reaction from Levi. A big grin was spread on Eren’s face, jade green eyes twinkling with pure ecstasy as his boss glared back up at him, face still burning up in embarrassment and muttering bitterly.

“You saw my face. Happy? Now wipe that shit-eating grin off your face..”

The taller male wanted to relish the moment, too amused for his own good.

“Levi Ackerman blushing like a teenage girl? Come on, let me enjoy this for a second.”

Responding cheekily, Eren let out a charming laugh as Levi only narrowed his eyes at his assistant but remained silent. As soon as his laugh subsided, the two remained silent, staring at each other in an almost analytic sense as both silently watched the other. The sound of crickets chirping continued in the background as Eren watched Levi’s eyes slowly cascade down the other’s body, wrist still clasped within Eren’s fingers. He watched the way Eren’s chest subtly rose and fell, his adam's apple slowly bobbing, as if afraid to merely swallow in Levi’s presence. Long black eyelashes draped over pools of silver as Levi looked down towards their bottom halves. He stared at the other’s lanky legs intertwined between his, snug between his own thighs. Slowly looking back up, his heartbeat suddenly felt faster as he saw those ocean once again. Soft green waves lapping Levi up as if he was the sand on the beach, caressing his presence with every second of loving gazing. Levi stared back at him, equally entranced. Suddenly, Eren began leaning in, causing Levi’s heart to jumpstart at the action as he found himself unable to move away. Maybe this wasn’t an idea he’d come to regret after all. Slowly closing his eyes, Levi waited for the feeling of Eren’s heated lips to brush into his.

A ringtone went off, echoing throughout the dark room.

Eren froze up at the sound just as his lips were about to meet the other’s. Levi showed no outward reaction but was equally startled. Lips a mere centimeter apart, the brunette seemed conflicted in his action. Eventually deciding the momentum was gone with the silence, Eren then groaned as Levi huffed and shoved the other off of him. The taller male complied, letting Levi’s arm throw him into the mattress on the right of his boss. He let his body go limp, slightly bouncing against the sheets as he mourned the lost moment. Levi leaned over and hastily dragged his phone out from his pocket, eyes squinting at the blaringly bright screen. Eren couldn’t help but glance over as well.

“PETRA” in bold white letters burned into the screen and managed to reach Eren’s line of sight momentarily before Levi quickly picked up the call, pressing the device to his ears. A slight sting made its way into Eren’s heart at the contact information. _Why was Petra calling Levi so late?_ Unconsciously clenching his jaw, Eren looked off to the side, feigning ignorance as his ears strained to hear the call. Levi’s voice came out relaxed as if he wasn’t moments away from kissing his assistant in Eren’s bed.

“Hello.”

“Levi…”

Making out the female’s voice in the beginning, Eren’s chest constricted at the way Petra said Levi’s name, full of relief and affection. Unfortunately for the assistant, he could only make out his boss’ words after that.

“What happened...are you serious?”

Disdain was painted across Levi’s face as he pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning at whatever Petra had to say. Eren then turned his head, glancing at Levi who was sitting at the bedside, back now turned to the taller male.

“..fuck, right now?”

Upon those words, Eren unconsciously jerked into an upright position, staring at Levi with dread and insistent, widened eyes. _Right now? What did Levi have to do right now?_ Feeling the other’s weight suddenly shift on the mattress, Levi tossed a look behind him, staring at Eren’s silent questioning. He could already see what Eren was thinking and fiercely conveying in those green irises.

_Don’t go._

Levi stared back at Eren, jaw clenched as the other’s look was as loud as Petra’s panicked ramblings in his right ear. _Fucking goddamnit._ Eren and him were not a real couple..as much as the other seemed to be fond of him, Levi was on the fence. As much as Eren would want him to stay, he _technically_ had no reason to stay. But while he had no real obligations, a small part of him still cared about Eren and his feelings. Cursing silently, the older male turned back around and glared a hole into Armin’s side of the room. Weighing the factors didn’t matter in the end. He had to go. Speaking up in a slightly strained tone, Levi stated his words firmly.

“...I’m coming.”

Two words set Eren’s heart down to the pit of his stomach, dread pooling in his gut as he heard Levi’s response. _Seriously..?_ Mouth pursing with bitterness, the assistant stared at Levi in a mixture of upsetness and disbelief as his boss quietly ended the call. Even if they weren’t a thing, he couldn’t help the bitter taste in the back of his mouth from the realization of the other leaving him without a second thought. For the first time, Eren was experiencing the real meaning behind ‘no strings attached’. The tension in the room was no longer pleasantly heated but icy and stiff. Seeing as the other wasn’t speaking up, Eren took the initiative and spoke, voice thick with agitation.

“You’re going _already._ ”

Levi turned around, eyes meeting Eren’s. The brunette looked desperate, clinging onto one last hope of Levi correcting him. That maybe Levi wasn’t leaving- that maybe he was staying right here with Eren still. That maybe Eren heard wrong..that maybe he wasn’t leaving Eren at the drop of a hat so soon to see Petra. Feeling a small amount of guilt, Levi forced it down. The older male finally replied stiffly, voice quiet but solid and void of emotion.

“...I have to.”

“ _Bullshit.”_

Spitting out bitterly right after Levi’s response left his lips, Eren’s eyes were now edged with aggravation, glaring at the other. He remained this way, staring the other down as his eyes were blazed with anger at the situation. Grey eyes slightly widened, caught off guard but only for a second before molding back into their default stare. Even if his boss had said Petra wasn’t a concern, it was clear that a week or two wasn’t going to suddenly wash away any securities Eren had after months of thinking Petra was in the spot he wanted to be. Right next to Levi.

Levi remained silent, only adding more distress to the situation. Eren’s emotions were sent into a flurry as his body language screamed for any form of assurance from Levi. Fingers tightened around his wrinkled bed sheets, clawing into the mattress in a desperate attempt to keep himself grounded. Struggling to keep his composure, Eren spoke up stiffly, trying to find any form of a justifiable reason for Levi’s leave.

“ _Why_ do you have to go? Is somebody in danger? What the heck happened?”

Levi didn’t tear his eyes away from Eren’s. The other had formed an impenetrable expression, unwavering and void of tells. After another dreadful pause, he replied in a calm, even manner.

“...I can’t tell you.”

Hearing the other’s vague rejection to clarify the situation, Eren’s chest felt tight as he could only stare at Levi who slowly pulled his eyes away, now refusing to make eye contact with him. Eren didn’t know which would be worse—Levi looking like he was guilty of something or being able to seem like he was more than capable of covering up whatever it was to Eren without a second thought. Eren felt exposed, completely naked, in front of the older male. They both were aware that their newly changed relationship was still filled with lack of answers to...whatever this was. In the end, Eren knew at the very least that their relationship was one for mutually physical relief..but they were still friends and Eren would expect Levi to be somewhat considerate of him. A flash of anger seared through Eren as he began grinding his teeth. Unable to properly vent out his anger, the assistant settled for a dry laugh as he threw his hands in the air.

“You can’t tell me...great. _Great._ ”

Voice slowly raising with malice, Eren then let his head fall back, an annoyed smile on his face as he scoffed, throwing his next line out of spite.

“I _saw_ the caller ID, Levi. I know you’re running off to go see _Petra_.”

Saying her name bitterly, Eren pursed his lips as Levi stared at him, still unbearably silent. Letting his head roll to the left, he glared at the shorter male through long brown strands. Levi’s jaw was clenched.

_Well...at least he was affected a little rather than not at all._

Remaining silent and brooding, Eren kept his frustrated expression on as the raven haired male faltered, face cracking the slightest hint of internal conflict.

“Eren...you know it’s not like that-”

“Not like what!?”

Eren cut off Levi in annoyance before throwing a hand in the air again. Turning to fully face the other, he then laughed in disbelief before crossing his arms, more than ready to correct his boss.

“No, Levi, I _don’t_ know that it’s not like that- I.. What are we doing??”

In desperation at this point, Eren was breathing heavily and almost yelling as Levi stared back at him, neither looking shocked or completely composed. Swallowing thickly, Eren’s angered eyes were slowly shifting to desperation as he eventually looked down, tearing his eyes away from Levi’s face. He took a moment for himself before speaking up again, voice as desperate as before but less enraged.

“...I know. _I know_ that what has already happened between us has more than exceeded what I ever thought was possible in this lifetime..”

Words spilled from Eren’s lips as he continued, desperate to not be left in silence as the other was barely speaking. He knew Levi was a silent person, in general. But it still put him on edge in a situation like this. Eren’s voice gradually grew soft, still strained but no longer high in volume. Looking at his boss again, ocean irises flickered as they searched Levi’s in a futile attempt for an answer. _Why..why couldn’t Levi just say anything?_ Eren felt drained. Exasperation filled his chest more than rage at this point. Fingernails digging into his palms through the scrunched up bedsheets in his grip, Eren questioned Levi in a small voice.

“...am I just a fling for you? Are you going to toss me aside when you get tired of me?”

Levi sharply inhaled at the question. He was slightly taken aback and feeling hurt that the other would even ask such a thing. _How could Eren even ask that after how close they’d gotten?_ However, after a second, Levi found maybe he shouldn’t be so surprised as he stared at Eren’s dejected form. Eren’s boss more than remembered the other’s mention of his unfortunate past with relationships. Taking a mental step back after being hit with such a question, Levi’s throat tightened at the thought of becoming just like one of Eren’s exes despite a lack of relationship. He hated what they did to Eren, how they saw the bright eyed man as nothing more than a quick screwing. He wasn’t just a fucking hole to stick their dick in. Eren was too fucking weird and eccentric with that stupidly cute smile to _not_ be someone special. It made Levi’s heart ache slightly just thinking of being on the same level as any of those bastards. Eren sat on the bed, throat and chest squeezing in pain as he was slowly getting worn down by the other’s silence and lack of defense towards his questions.

Suddenly, Eren’s jaw was yanked up. Wide ocean eyes met firm gunmetal irises as they glared down into vibrant turquoise. Levi didn’t have to think hard. He just let his body move. And so it moved towards Eren. The shorter male was up on his knees, each digging into the mattress on the outsides of both Eren’s legs. The older male was a man of few words, usually taking the route of action. Clenching his teeth, Levi dropped his head, smacking his forehead against his assistant’s as he glared at a surprised Eren. The rough handling caused his assistant to wince, pouting up at Levi for the roughness but remaining silent, unable to speak. Cupping Eren’s jaw tightly with both hands, cold pale palms pressed firmly against each side of the other’s face. Levi spoke up, tone equally strained but insistent as he hissed out his response with absolute confidence, breath ghosting over Eren’s parted lips.

“I have _never_ thought of you as a fling, Jaeger. And I never fucking will.”

Levi spit the words out roughly like they were poison, eyes firmly glued to Eren’s as pale brittle fingernails dug into caramel skin. Eren’s eyes were as big as saucers, staring owlishly at Levi’s. He took a second to process his boss’ words after the sudden show of emotion from the male. A faint smile traced over Eren’s lips but his brows were knitted together with remaining concern. Softly chuckling at the other, the assistant’s laugh sounded dry and void of happiness. The sound was like a hollow drum, brittle like bleached bones. An aching endearment pounded in Levi’s chest at the sound of it for it was Eren’s laugh but it was not the same type that came after cracking weird questions or with a smile brighter than the biggest star in the night sky.

“Levi...you don’t even know what you’re saying..”

Mumbling out hoarsely, Eren’s eyes remained on him, the ocean coming to life but not in the way Levi envisioned it. Instead it pooled in jade green irises as the brunette began tearing up as his brain caught up with the weight of his words.

Maybe letting things go up in the air wasn’t the best idea after all.

Slowly lifting his hands up, Eren cupped them around Levi’s, tan eyelids gradually drooping shut as he sadly smiled. The taller male wanted to savor the moment, his fingers against every crook and curve of Levi’s pale, small digits and knuckles. To have Levi’s attention on him and only him. Turning his face, Eren nuzzled Levi’s palm, causing the older man’s chest to constrict. Everything the other did set him on fire, slowly melting what Levi thought was his ice-cold heart. Although endearing, Levi felt like the other was slipping away from him. He didn’t like it. Levi knew he was screwing himself over with how complicated he was making the situation but he couldn’t help it. Every time those green eyes twinkled at him or Eren gave him that goofy but charming crooked grin, Levi found himself twisting another knot into his tangled fray of feelings.

“I..I do know what I’m saying.”

“Levi..”

“ _No._ Shut the fuck up for a second. I may not be some eloquent speaker like fucking eyebrows but I can use my words.”

Gritting his teeth, Levi faltered, trying to form coherent sentences in his head as Eren looked up at him with those fucking puppy dog eyes.

“Ok. You got me good, Jaeger. Maybe it does look like I don’t know what I’m doing for once. I even said it myself, guilty as charged. But I know that I wouldn’t do half of what I do for you for anybody else.”

Green eyes momentarily widened as Eren’s face was stuck in surprise. The dark cloud over his expression was already slowly fading with each sentence Levi spoke.

“..I just- I’m not used to this..this bullshit with anybody let alone another man.”

Already seeing Eren deflate at his words, the shorter male scowled before giving Eren’s jaw a little shake to ground him back into reality again.

“Oi, I just said I wasn’t used to another guy. But isn’t the fact that I’m questioning myself already proof in itself that I know this isn’t nothing?”

Eren’s boss pointedly said his words, clicking his tongue sharply before looking off to the side. Glaring at the wall while deep in thought, Levi then cussed under his breath before turning back to Eren, The look in his eyes was genuine and honest, glaring down at the other with insistence and determination to get his words across. Levi was never good with all the sentimental crap but he was trying for Eren. Even though he had a hard time coping and dealing with his own feelings, he knew at the end of the day that Eren was important to him. The shorter male’s eyes softened the slightest bit, face twisting with disdain at his next words. But he _needed_ Eren to understand.

“I have to go, Eren..but I’ll make this up to you. We can try to both figure out this arrangement another day..but I don’t want you to mistake my abrupt leave as something...more than it is. You have nothing to worry about.”

Fighting back any screams for the other to stay, Eren combatted it with self control and logic. He could see it in the other’s face and body, that Levi was trying. It was acknowledged at this point already that Levi leaving so soon was not in any way great. Levi acknowledged his actions. After working for his boss and getting to know him after almost a year, Eren knew Levi was a man of logic and sensibility. The other wasn’t one to crumble on his word. On top of that, Levi’s brash but endearing admittance of them being something more made a small warmth grow in Eren’s chest. Something more than friends...it was already definitely more than he’d ever thought he would have. It didn’t help with the way Levi was looking at him now too, like Eren _was_ something special when he wasn’t. Something worth holding. Chewing the inside of his cheek, Eren let out a soft sigh before half heartedly nodding.

“I get it, i get it..”

Wanting to soften the tension, Eren scoffed before curling his fingers and wedging them between Levi’s. He gently pried them off his face. Eren then moved his hands around the other’s, holding them together before letting his head fall against his boss’ chest with a soft thud. 

“Go help out Petra with whatever it is..” 

The long haired male spoke up again with half hearted amusement as his usual corny joke commenced.

“...but I can’t say I’d want to strike a three way friend with benefits type of situation. I guarantee I’m enough so there’s no need to get another bed partner.”

Eren laughed softly, a cheesy grin on his face. Levi’s expression softened as he softly scoffed. That was the Eren he knew.

“Even though I’m not soft and small, I’m tall enough to grab things off the high shelf for you and my hair is arguably softer, you know.”

Looking up at Levi, Eren grinned cockily before teasing the shorter male.

“Like a _puppy’s_ , right?”

Rolling his eyes at Eren’s jab, Levi let go and brashly ran his right hand through Eren’s chocolate brown locks, letting the long soft strands curl and slip around his fingers like swirls in a tidepool. The idiot was too fucking cute for his own good and Levi almost hated it. The fact that a six foot grown man was able to get his heart pounding like a teenage girl was a situation Levi never thought he’d find himself in. Yet here he was, heart getting crushed every time Eren flashed him those stupidly white pearly teeth through those kissable lips. Eren stared at Levi like he was the fucking golden sun instead of the gloomy storm everybody perceived him to be. Eren pressed himself into the other’s hand, enjoying the feeling of Levi running his fingers through his hair and caressing his scalp. It was soothing to the touch and extremely gentle, contradictory to Levi’s outward appearance and harsh attitude. It was one of the things Eren found extremely endearing about the raven haired male.

“Getting full of yourself now that you have my attention?”

Jabbing back at Eren, a small smirk tugged at Levi’s lips before he leaned in and gave the other one last kiss on the forehead, causing Eren’s heart to skip a beat. Eren closed his eyes in response, impulsively biting on his lip to retain his excitement at the other’s small gesture of affection and how perfect it felt to have the other’s lips on him. It had been a while since the assistant had experienced these types of close contact acts and receiving them from the man he practically idolized was more than enough to make Eren feel like he was constantly on the brink of combustion. A small smile made its way onto Eren’s lips as he replied joyfully.

“You know I can’t help myself.”

Pulling away, Levi ran his fingers through Eren’s hair one last time before getting off of him and the bed. Eren hesitantly complied, pushing himself off the mattress as well to walk Levi to the door. He knew Levi had to go in the end now that they made peace with the situation. He just wished it didn’t have to be so soon. A small thought of being the second option crept its way into the back of Eren’s head, causing a small pain to edge at his heart. Quickly shoving it down, Eren sighed silently as he followed his boss to the exit.

“...maybe we can try something like this again?”

Asking with hopefulness, Eren walked down his hallway behind Levi as the other replied coolly.

“We can.”

A grin made its way to the assistant’s face at the other’s confirmation. Eventually reaching the door, Levi then turned around, taking in the sight of Eren and his apartment again. Levi took time to appreciate how much cleaner the space was. He felt a bit bad knowing the other probably ran around spiffing the place up so much because of him. The assistant stood there, blinking innocently at Levi, unaware of his boss’ realization as the older man then cleared his throat and focused his sight back on Eren.

“I’ll be going then.”

Nodding as he looked away, Eren tried his best to not let the disappointment show on his face as he reached around Levi and opened the door. Upon the action, Eren unintentionally leaned in, face to face with his boss as the door was now ajar. Levi stiffened from the sudden closeness and realization, staring back at Eren as he didn’t back up from the change of proximity. Cool night winds blew past them from outside as Eren remained frozen in the position, allowing himself to get lost in the other’s grey eyes, silvery and sharp like a knight's armour. Deciding to be selfish, Eren closed the distance, allowing himself the chance of pressing his lips hungrily against Levi’s. The other let out a soft choked breath of surprise. It was soft and hot, making Levi’s head grow fuzzy. Recovering from his initial shock, Eren’s boss eventually closed his own eyes. The assistant felt bold and slightly spiteful of the other’s sudden leave, deciding to slip his tongue past the other’s lips and coiling it around Levi’s. Eren earned a muffled moan from his boss, Levi’s cheeks flushing at the sound he accidentally let escape before finally jerking back. Lips wet and face flushed, the older male silently gasped for air as he looked at Eren with a bewildered expression. Eren simply grinned cheekily to hide his sadness as he shot Levi a few last words.

“What? Wanted one before you hit the road.”

Processing Eren’s bratty reply, Levi scoffed breathily before looking away, slightly flustered as his heart pounded violently in his chest.

“Cheeky brat..”

Eren simply smiled back, clearly satisfied with his choice. Opening his mouth, Eren began speaking up again.

“Yes but I’m your chee-”

“.. _Eren??”_

 _Oh no._ An all too familiar questioning voice interrupted Eren, the mere sound of the voice’s owner leaving both the assistant and his boss frozen in shock. _Oh fuck.._ Before he could warn Levi, his boss instinctively turned around at the sound, all color leaving his face once he realized they were no longer alone.

Armin stood there, equally shocked as the grocery bag in his hand slowly slipped from his fingers, smacking against the pavement and flopping to the side as its contents slipped out. But the blond didn’t care to pay attention to the mess on the ground in comparison to the one in front of him. The thoughts running in Armin’s head were clear as day.

_Did Eren and Levi just kiss..?_

Levi stood there, slack and unable to reply as Eren’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

_Shit..it wasn’t just Armin’s groceries..the cat was now out of the bag too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit. Looks like I left it on a cliffhanger..the suspense.  
> Hopefully you guys liked this part of Bottoms Up and as always, let me know what you think. :)


	20. Breaking Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 20. This may just be the busiest week I've ever had this whole year so the update came a bit later than usual. Better late than never still, right?

**Chapter 20**

_Eren’s POV_

“Eren..”

Eren groaned.

“I know, Ar.”

His best friend was still in shock, unable to recover yet. He paced back and forth in front of Eren as the brunette awkwardly sat in the middle of their couch, wary ocean eyes chasing after a frantic Armin. Eren felt like he was being interrogated and scolded by a parent. But would he choose Armin over Mikasa any day to find out? Yep. But did that mean he wasn’t going to get chewed out? Now that was wishful thinking.

“ _Eren.._ ”

“...I was going to tell you!”

Exclaiming hastily, Eren rubbed his right arm. He sheepishly met his friend’s eyes when Armin finally stopped pacing. His best friend was absolutely livid, sky blue eyes practically popping out of his head as he mumbled incoherently to himself. If Eren didn’t know human anatomy, he would think the other’s head was about to roll off his neck with how much the other was overthinking. Scratching his head, Armin sighed before shooting Eren a look. Eren grimaced. They both knew each other since they were little kids meaning Armin also knew Eren’s hasty claim was not exactly a hundred percent true. Slightly withering under the look, Eren pursed his lips as Armin gave him a disappointed look for his half lie. Unable to take it, Eren threw his hands in the air before whining.

“Levi didn’t want anybody to know..! But I mean, it makes sense...he’s my boss and if somebody were to know then he was worried we’d get in trouble..”

Eren could remember the horrified look on Levi’s face as clear as day before he took off. Although Levi may have looked composed on the surface level, Eren could very much see the slightly widened eyes and frigid posture the older man was sporting at the sight of Eren’s friend. His boss begrudgingly muttered a farewell to Armin before shooting his assistant a look and rushing past Eren’s stunned friend. He knew Levi was relying on him to defuse the situation. The only relief Eren had was that he knew his best friend wouldn’t go around spreading rumours or saying anything to their other coworkers and friends. Apparently, Armin finding out wasn’t enough to keep his boss from leaving and that wasn’t anything small. Whatever Petra needed him for...it was important at least to Levi. Eren was more worried about calming down Armin rather than having to prevent him from telling others. He trusted Armin. After all, how could he not? They stuck through thick and thin since they were barely learning how to read. But Levi on the other hand wasn’t the one who grew up with his blond bowl cut haired friend and had no restraints in lashing out quite furiously at the idea of anybody else knowing. It was just expected. It would be unlike Levi to trust an acquaintance he barely knew himself. Therefore, Eren understood. After all, Levi was quite set in his ways and Eren knew the other had a harder time relaxing around others.

Armin let out a shaky sigh before shaking his head like a disappointed father. His panicked nature was still present but minimized the slightest bit by Eren’s statement. Eren watched his friend slowly mentally calming himself enough to talk levelly before he stared firmly at Eren. His voice however was chock full of worry and his rigid posture showed Armin’s nervousness. Leave it up to Eren’s childhood friends to get frantic over Eren’s situations more than himself. It felt like he had parents instead of friends sometimes.

“...how long has this been going on?”

Thinking momentarily, Eren shifted in his seat before replying hesitantly.

“Since Halloween..”

“ _Since Halloween!?_ ”

Echoing Eren with disbelief, Armin’s mouth hung open in shock before he began rubbing his temples. The taller male watched the panicked male warily, waiting for the other to possibly flip out again. After some silence, the blond let out another sigh before looking at Eren with a firm look.

“Okay...I understand why you didn’t tell me-”

Eren’s expression filled with relief at Armin’s words but was quickly wiped off as soon as it came at the blond’s continuation.

“- _Even though_ it still is a punch in the gut to our friendship. I _knew_ something was up..I should have pressed you harder about it..But since I know now, you _will_ spare me every detail!”

Sputtering at his roommate, Eren resorted to nervously chewing on his cheek as he eyed a very insistent Armin. The shorter male may have come off as meek to most people but Eren knew the other had his ways of getting what he wanted in the end. Speaking up again, Armin softly huffed in exasperation before giving Eren a look.

“..So how long have you been dating?”

“Huh..?”

Eren froze for a second, green eyes widened as he processed the question. _Huh?_ Realizing the other’s mistaken assumption, the assistant quickly shot it down once his friend’s words soaked in. _Levi and him dating? Yeah, in his dreams maybe._ Shaking his head vigorously, Eren snorted as he scratched the back of his head.

“Uh-no, it’s not like that..we aren’t dating.”

“Excuse me??”

Responding in disbelief, Armin’s brows turned upwards as a lost expression was plastered over his face at the other’s response. Flicking out his wrist, the blond motioned for Eren to elaborate before saying anything more. Despite the other’s bewildered look directed at him, Eren proceeded to behave casually about it. He shrugged, nonchalantly crossing his arms as he let his body fall, back hitting the couch cushions as he explained.

“We’re not dating. It’s..like a friends with benefits thing? I mean, it’s nothing deep..no feelings and strings attached.”

Sputtering for words, Armin scoffed as he continued rubbing circles into his temples. Eren’s friend was obviously overwhelmed by each new snippet of information he was receiving, trying to piece the situation together.

“...how did this even happen? I thought Mr. Ackerman was engaged to Petra!?”

Remembering the reason why Levi left, Eren turned to the side with slight resentment as he bit down on the inside of his cheek, forcing himself from saying anything brash. He and Levi already went over this. There was no need to get indignant over what has already been dealt with.

“Yeah, well apparently Sasha’s so-called rumor was just a rumor.”

Armin stared at Eren for a moment, silently studying him. Raising an eyebrow, Eren’s friend then spoke up.

“You know you sound a bit bitter there, Eren. That doesn’t seem right if you’re only in a physical entanglement.”

 _Fuck-_ Pursing his lips as his stare at the wall darkened, Eren let a rain of profanities noisily bang around inside his head. Of course he wouldn’t be able to let anything like his feelings slip past Armin once the other was aware and focused on the situation. Jerking his head towards Armin, Eren forced himself to violently thrash down any irrational emotions as he huffed.

“I don’t know why I would be..I already gave up a while ago. It’s not like that.”

“...you say that but you’re here sitting on our couch as I ask you why you were kissing your boss goodnight.”

“ _I told you._ It’s a friends with benefits thing.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, _which I’m not_ , but friends with benefits don’t even usually kiss each other. At least, not like that.”

Finally turning back to Armin, Eren shot him an annoyed look as he gritted his teeth. As much as he cared about his friend, the other could be really relentless and a bit too on point when it came to confrontations sometimes. Many people would think to fear a big, buff looking dude but if you knew someone like Armin… well, you would learn quickly that greater diabolical methods could be manifested by a genius mind instead.

“ _Well we do!_ ”

Replying with a slight attitude, Eren continued grinding his teeth. He really wasn’t liking how Armin was making sense as always. Eren stared another hole into their apartment wall, glaring at the painted surface with intense animosity and sharply inhaling. Mentally urging himself to calm down, the assistant then sharply exhaled. He didn’t want to think about this longer than he had to. The aggression in his tone withered away as he spoke his next sentence in a much softer tone, slightly edged with self defeat.

“...it’s not like anything more would ever happen.”

Taking in his friend’s words, Armin’s surprised eyes softened to a look of slight pity. He could tell Eren was already having internal turmoil over Levi. It must not have been so great to have Armin add onto it by knowing about him and Levi. However, the blond knew that maybe his awareness would be beneficial in the end. He could help Eren out with the situation he was in however he liked. He began staring at Eren who now had his head tossed back over the back of the couch, long brown strands cascading over the back of the furniture. Armin then quietly walked over, slowly taking a seat next to the other. The assistant was unphased, jade green eyes stuck on the ceiling as self confliction twisted and knotted it’s way into Eren’s face. Eren was visibly bothered before lifting an arm and covering his eyes with it as he let his hand droop tiredly. The two remained silent for a moment as Armin let the other’s last words sink in for the both of them. Interlacing his fingers in his lap, Armin then looked at Eren, clearing his throat before speaking up in a soothing questioning voice.

“..Eren, do you think maybe you might be refusing to come to terms with yourself still?”

Eren grunted before proceeding to chew on the inside of his cheek again. Eren replied in an exasperated mumble, clearly unknowing of where Armin was going with this.

“What do you mean..”

Pressing his lips together nervously, Armin then spoke up warily, his question direct despite his voice.

“With your feelings, Eren..”

Shifting slightly, Eren tensed momentarily but recomposed himself. Although, it wasn’t in time for Armin to not see. Eren realized this fact, still choosing to wade in self denial for his own sanity.

“What feelings? There’s no feelings.”

Eren spat out in a weary but aggravated tone, jaw tense as he locked it. However, his best friend persisted, set on reaching a breaking point that could lead to a possibly better change. The first step was getting the brunette to admit to himself how he really felt.

“So you’re saying if you pictured Levi with somebody else, you don’t feel _anything_.”

Silence.

“.........yes.”

Replying in a voice that wasn’t even convincing to himself, Eren swallowed thickly, refusing to uncover his eyes as Armin pointedly looked at him. They both were very aware of Eren’s bullshit denial at this point. Sighing, Armin looked at the other with worry as he insistently questioned the exhausted male.

“Eren, why are you _lying_ to yourself like this? This isn’t like you. You usually go for anything and everything. That’s just who you are! So why don’t you do it when it comes to this? What good is lying to yourself going to do-”

“Well, how the fuck is coming to terms with hopeless feelings going to do me any better!? _”_

Cutting Armin off, Eren loudly cracked out his response. He jerked his arm away and glared at his friend. Eren was now even more pissed off, biting down on his tongue to keep himself from verbally attacking Armin about the situation. He ran a hand roughly through his hair, fingers tightly snagging onto stray brown strands as they roughly shoved their way down. Eren did _not_ like where the other was taking this conversation. Nevertheless, to Eren's dismay, Armin persisted, still pressing on as he squeaked out a counter.

“Be- because...I don’t know, maybe some self closure wou-!”

“Would _what!?_ ”

Yelling back, Eren’s eyes were lit with rage, sitting up as he flung a hand around in sharp, aggravated motions. He was not keen on giving Armin room to continue on with his flowery bullshit let alone barely breathe.

“ _What, Armin?_ Realizing that I can’t help being hopelessly consumed and in love with another man — older _and_ my boss — who doesn’t love me back!? How the fuck is telling myself I can’t _not_ crave this man’s touch and voice going to help me!?”

Armin was silent, eyes slightly widened but remaining quiet as Eren was lost in his anger induced speech. Whether the rage was directed at Armin or Eren himself was long lost on the assistant. A dry laugh escaped the taller male as he scoffed at himself, glaring at the blond who had egged him on. He felt like he had reached past the breaking point he was already teetering on.

“...I see him in everything I do, Armin..I can’t even remember how to fucking _breathe_ right at the mere thought of his lips against _mine._ FINE. It’s true- I only want it to be _my_ fucking hands running through his hair and _my_ voice whispering sweet nothings into his ear like a _godamn_ sap!”

Eren’s voice climbed higher and higher, the teenager’s nature resembling an unleashed beast’s as he was relentless in his yelling, eyes aflame with anger and newfound desperation. It was like fifteen year old Eren all over again. All the emotions the assistant was bottling up came spilling out, unfiltered and unchecked as they reflected his genuine feelings. Eren was breathing out hard an uneven, audibly shaking as he felt his body begin to shake like a leaf. Whether it was with fear or anger at the world, he didn't know. But as much as he wanted to deny it, Eren _did_ know deep down on the inside about how he felt after all. Maybe he wasn’t considered the brightest or most genius person like Armin but he was still somewhat self aware. That’s why it took every last bit of his will and reliant stubbornness to deny those feelings for the sake of his sanity. But now it was all getting punched and kicked over by a little goading from Armin. Eren continued, albeit quieter for a moment, his attitude resentful and expression sour as he spoke the next sentence between gritted teeth.

“...I forgot what it’s like to not be stuck in this bittersweet rut of a hell and for whatever crazy reason I don’t want to leave this pain I put myself into. Just for a spot next to him, at his side-”

Jerking his head, Eren curled his fingers, nails digging into his palms. His shoulders trembled, internally questioning Armin inside his head bitterly. Eren felt so many extremities and the rapid flurry of emotions going through him currently was making him dizzy. There was anger at himself and the situation, annoyance towards Armin, his affections towards Levi at the mere thought of him, and most of all—sadness.

Sadness at his realization that Eren was quite likely never going to stop loving Levi.

_Why the fuck was Armin even making him say all this.._

He still had no idea why Armin was doing this to him. Forcing him to talk about the same thing he’d been shoving to the back of his head and stubbornly ignoring for so long. Eren then banged a curled fist against the seat of the couch. He glared at Armin with intense rage, a feeling of panicked lostness underlying it as he exclaimed angrily.

“Is this what you wanted?"

 _The hell?_ The blond remained infuriatingly silent. Eren wasn't thinking straight.

 _"Is this what you wanted me to say!? That I’m in love with Levi!?_ ”

Armin's eyes widened. Eren fell silent.

The moment the words left his mouth, Eren tensed up, realizing they slipped out before he could think.

It was one thing to love a person. He loved Armin and Mikasa with all his heart. He loved his mom. But being _in_ love with somebody..now that was different. It had a romantic and lustful implication instead of just importance and deep care. In the back of his head, the taller male knew he had always known somewhat that he felt this strongly about his boss. However, hearing the words so confident in his own voice surprised even himself. Swallowing thickly, Eren slowly let his clenched fists uncurl and drop lifelessly to the couch. Armin watched him quietly, knees bent and pressed to his chest as he wrapped his arms around them and waited for his friend to finish his melt down. It wasn’t Eren’s fault. After all, the blond had egged him on until he couldn’t help but act so furiously. But it was what Eren needed. Sometimes, Eren just needed to let out his emotions and sometimes, it led to a breaking point. Armin knew this. And so he watched quietly as his childhood friend stared blankly ahead with widened ocean eyes, bringing his hands up to his hair and grabbing his head in disbelief at his unintentional admittance. The assistant softly breathed in, almost as if he was afraid to before loudly whispering to himself and maybe possibly Armin. His voice was one of disbelief as Eren repeated the words, confirming his assurance that they ever left his lips.

“....I’m in love with Levi. I….am in love with my boss, Levi Ackerman.”

Armin almost wanted to snort at his friend. The blond was already painfully aware of the other’s affections for a while now, even before Eren himself. But that was Eren’s fault for stubbornly denying it for so long. The only thing that caught Armin off guard about this was seeing there was actually any form of arrangement between the two. Armin had always perceived Eren’s boss to be straight with the engagement and all. But he guessed that was now false along with his belief that Levi was strictly heterosexual. Or maybe he was and Eren was a special case. Which possibly made what Armin was about to do even more necessary, although risky.

“..So what are you going to do about it?”

Slightly coming back down to earth, Eren’s brows knitted together in confusion. He then slowly looked over at Armin and questioned him in a confused tone.

“What do you mean ‘what am I going to do about it’?”

“Exactly what I said!”

Armin exclaimed at Eren who looked half dejected and half uncertain. _What the heck was Armin going on about now?_ Armin scrunched his nose at the other’s current state. Although irrational with his emotions sometimes, the emotion usually being anger, Eren did tend to get into these small episodes of self deprecation. Except the blond wasn’t going to let it go this time, proposing a solution.

“Why don’t you talk this out with Mr. Ackerman?”

“Talk what out..?”

Armin huffed as if the answer was obvious before speaking up encouragingly again.

“Your feelings!”

Eyes widening a fraction, the assistant looked more confused than ever at Armin’s answer. _His feelings? What about his feelings..? It wasn’t like Levi actu-_

“Hey...cut that out, Eren..”

Armin hastily interrupted his thoughts before he could continue them. Eren shot Armin a look for it before frowning in confusion.

“Cut what out?”

“I know you’re doing that self wallowing thing. You’re probably trying to convince yourself right now that Levi would never reciprocate your feelings, right?”

Eren’s frown deepened as he opened his mouth to talk. But nothing came out. Chewing on his cheek, Eren looked away from Armin, realizing he was unable to counter the other’s guess. After all, Armin was right. That’s...exactly what he was doing. Gritting his teeth, a flash of self pity and frustration took over his head. Eren hated that he was like this sometimes but how could he help it? After all, his previous endeavours in love have never worked. And this situation..with Levi who was older and his own boss who wasn’t even gay in the first place? He couldn’t help but have numerous fears at the thought of his feelings let alone professing them aloud.

“But Armin- what if he, I don’t know, _doesn’t like me_?”

Asking over dramatically, Eren’s words dripped with sarcasm. Armin simply shook his head.

“Eren, don’t be ridiculous. I doubt Levi would get physical with somebody he isn’t at least attracted to. On top of that, you’re _Eren Jaeger_. You’ve impulsively stood up to gangs of bullies for me and my books since we were kids, got into full blown arguments with anybody regardless of their power or status and never shy away from your beliefs! And now you’re scared of a little rejection that isn’t even likely to happen!?”

Shouting out in a high pitched exclamation, Armin had a firm expression as he threw his hands up in the air, making it a point to keep his eyes on Eren to get his point through. Listening to his friends words, the assistant felt a bit better and arguably the smallest bit motivated. Slowly straightening his back, Eren nodded along to Armin’s words. A small flicker of determination emerged in emerald eyes.

“...that’s true.”

He looked at the other, confidence slowly seeping its way back into him.

“Levi wouldn’t do these things with random people or just for kicks because..that’s not like him.”

Armin vigorously nodded, happiness swelling in his chest at Eren’s slowly forming optimistic voice.

“That’s right!”

Placing a hand on Eren’s shoulder, the smaller male gave him a soft smile and encouraging look.

“Eren, I think you should just let him know how you feel. It doesn’t take a genius to know that Mr. Ackerman is not very open about his emotions..but the way he looked at you before I spoke up..I never saw him look like that. It was like all the scary edges to his face were gone and softened up from just being with you. Plus, I don’t think he would just leave and trust just anybody to clean up a situation like the one we were placed in earlier.”

Eren ran long tan fingers through his hair again as he slowly exhaled, taking in the new perspective Armin had given him. He felt like he did know what the other was talking about but he always chalked it up to his wishful imagination. That Levi looked at him differently from others.

Slowly closing his eyes, Eren thought of the love of his life slowly turning to face him in his imagination. Pale marbled skin was washed over by a warm sunset glow as grey eyes caught up in a different kind of ocean, those being Eren’s eyes. Then Levi smiled. That fucking beautiful, rare smile that nobody ever gets to see, willingly and desperately seared in Eren’s mind because he _knew_ it was for him. A breathy almost creaky laugh escaped Levi’s lips. Eren’s boss had a very peculiar sounding laugh that nobody ever really hears, probably because Levi felt self conscious about it’s weirdness. But Eren absolutely loved it and relished in the sound. A small smile wormed its way onto the brunette’s face himself at the thought.

...maybe..maybe he was important to Levi.

Eren’s strength of such strong unswaying emotions could also be his downfall sometimes. While he was able to motivate many and inspire them through it, if he set his mind to something negative, such as persistently believing there was no hope with Levi, he could very easily send himself into an eternal rut. Unable to move forward and allowing himself to be swallowed up by blinding ignorance. Mulling over Armin’s words one last time, Eren slowly made up his mind, confirming with his friend one last time for moral assurance.

“..He looks at me differently?”

Armin breathily murmured his response, nodding with crinkled prince charming worthy blue eyes.

“Yes, he does. It’s kind of why I didn’t say anything at first and accidentally saw you two kiss as I walked up..I never saw that much emotion on his face before. And he was looking at you.”

Thinking hard momentarily, Armin bit his lower lip before speaking up again with a small sigh and worried smile.

“I’m not saying it will be easy, Eren. But good things never do come easy. I wouldn’t be surprised if Levi had some restraints if you say something.. _but_ I’m pretty certain he feels the same way, even if he doesn’t realize it himself either. It’s up to you whether you want to go through and try pushing forward..but the Eren I know would choose the option he truly desires.”

A small smile creeped onto Eren’s face at Armin’s thoughtful input and passive praise. Of course Armin was one to be inspirational in his own ways as well. Eren shouldn’t have expected any less from Erwin Smith’s assistant. Eren felt more alive, more motivated as his chest swelled at the thought of taking action- to _do_ something finally. His friend was right as always. Lifting a hand, the assistant clasped it on Armin’s shoulder, yanking him into a side hug as he laughed.

“Thanks, Ar. I don’t know how I could ever live without you and Mikasa.”

Armin sheepishly grinned, slightly flushing at the other’s appraisal as he laughed.

“You can’t. Just like how I can’t live without you or Mikasa.”

Raising his hand out to Eren, Armin raised his brows with a knowing smile.

“Shiganshina trio?”

The taller male was now grinning ear to ear as he fist bumped Armin, echoing his statement with confirmation.

“Shiganshina trio.”

Eren watched as his best friend proceeded to turn on the television for them to watch whatever was playing. The mood was now content and sparked with life as Eren found himself freshly determined and alive with motivation. Come next opportunity, he was going to set things straight and be true to himself. He was going to pour out his feelings to Levi and fight for his chance at something greater for them. It was funny how a small but motivational banter and slouching on the couch with his best friend could make him feel so free.

Suddenly, Armin spoke up again nonchalantly as three characters ran around on the TV screen.

“You better tell me all the weird things you and Levi do once you guys get together! Mikasa and I would die laughing trying to imagine the stone cold Mr. Ackerman getting all gooey over a relationship.”

A brief pause of silence washed over them as Armin then spoke up again.

“I bet he’s into some really weird stuff with that personality of his..”

A slight teasing edged Armin's voice as Eren flushed. Frowning, Eren elbowed his friend with an embarrassed mutter.

“ _Christ_. Shut up, Ar.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit, it's wingman Armin to the rescue.  
> I didn't have time to run through it and double check unfortunately. Hopefully, everything is okay. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next weekend. :)


	21. ..Eren??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody. I'm traveling once again so due to the time change, you'll receive a new chapter a bit earlier than usual. Hope you enjoy some wingman Armin action. This story is estimated to end around 25 chapters. We are indeed nearing the end.

**Chapter 21**

_Eren’s POV_

“...I can do this.”

“You can do this!”

“..I’m not going to back out.”

“You’re not going to back out!”

Clutching the back of his neck, fingers strained tightly against taut skin as Eren stared back at his reflection in the mirror and swallowed thickly. Emerald eyes stared back in nervous excitement, simultaneously anticipating and dreading all the different possible outcomes of today. Armin stood behind him to his right, flashing him a warm gentle smile in the mirror as he clasped a hand on the other’s shoulder, echoing Eren’s lines to help add further affirmation. Feeling comforted, the assistant smiled back at his friend before looking at himself again and adjusting his tie.

Eren spent the whole week on the verge of combustion. It was hard to maintain the fine line between keeping a level head and preventing oneself from chickening out. Levi had gone on a small emergency business trip for the week, as told through text, leaving him relieved and disappointed at the same time. Relieved because that meant Eren had a week to sort out his own feelings but disappointed because he had to wait a week to confess to Levi. Eren spent the whole time working diligently, making sure the office was kept in top shape when Levi returned and that all the tasks assigned to him were finished and turned in. On Friday, Eren’s boss texted him that he would be back first thing Sunday..which was now today. He was more than nervous and absolutely antsy with an urgent need for everything to go perfectly. Call him a sap, but Eren dressed up in a suit and ordered flowers for Levi. It was the first time he’d bought flowers aside from...well, aside from his mother whenever he visited her grave. But Eren was glad he did. He had bought them with love as always but this time it was a different kind. A love that didn’t leave Eren with mourning for a lost one but for the potential of a new one. A new start in life. Perhaps together with Levi.

Eren Jaeger was not a romantic by default. He never thought much into it and never desperately went after relationships. But here he was in a striped blue suit and white button up as Armin patted down his jacket for non-existent creases. All for those stormy grey eyes to look hisway. The assistant stared back at himself in the mirror, slightly mesmerized by the liveliness he found in his own eyes. It wasn’t just looks; he felt alive too. It wasn’t that he was dead this whole time..that wasn’t the right way to put it. But rather that he gained the feeling of breathing easy. Like the weight of self denial and pessimism had been lifted off his chest and it was more than relieving. Eren fished his phone out of his pocket, checking the time and his notifications. It was a little after twelve, meaning Levi had landed and had been back for a bit now. Feeling slight unease as he realized Levi had not replied to his text asking if he could meet up, Eren wrapped a strand of hair around his fingers. He then realized he tied his hair up neatly. He didn’t want to ruin it.

The assistant paused, keeping himself from tugging on the strand as he hesitantly let go and resorted to biting down on the inside of his cheek instead. A habit he had gained from childhood with no real reasoning behind it. _Maybe it was from a past life._ Eren joked internally to himself to soothe his nerves. As per usual, Armin seemed to sense the other’s dismay, glancing over at his friend’s blank phone before frowning.

“Hmm..maybe his flight got delayed in the air? He could also just be busy getting his luggage.”

“Oh..yeah, that could be true.”

A small sliver of relief wormed its way back into Eren at Armin’s reasonable excuse. The small blond then chirped up again enthusiastically.

“Why don’t you try contacting Hanji? You got her number from that night at Utgard, right? I’m sure if there’s anybody, she’d know better than us!”

Ocean eyes lighting up in realization at Armin’s words, he then looked at his friend and agreed.

“Oh man, I almost forgot about that- I’ll call her right now!”

Leafing through his contacts, Eren felt a bit nervous as small curved crevices began forming on the tissue inside his mouth from him constantly nipping at it. Whether it was from nerves or excitement, the taller male had no idea. Finally finding Hanji’s number, Eren didn’t hesitate to press the ‘call’ button and place it on speaker. The phone only rang once before it was picked up with gusto.

“Whoop- Hello!”

“Hanji?”

“Yessiree, that is me! May I ask who this is to make extra sure?”

Eren hadn’t contacted the other’s mobile phone before now that he thought about it..which was why the assistant was likely not listed as a contact in Hanji’s phone just yet. But he could already tell Hanji recognized his voice. Eren scoffed at her playful but knowing tone, a small smile making its way to his face.

“It’s your favorite assistant, of course. Well, second to Moblit that is..”

A bark of laughter escaped Hanji as she sighed at Eren’s cheeky remark.

“Oh, Eren, you’re so full of yourself! But I won’t deny your claim! So...is there any reason why you called me? I can’t imagine it’s because you decided to be a subject for my experiments once again!”

Shivering slightly at the thought of his previous acceptances to Hanji’s desperate invitations, Eren shook his head at the recollection before laughing nervously.

“Afraid not, Mrs. Zoe. I just wanted to know if you knew if Levi’s flight had landed yet?”

“Oh! You didn’t know? He’s been back but last thing Levi told me was he needed to grab some food before heading home! The drive from the airport is long though so I’d say you have about an hour?”

That made sense. Eren knew how cranky Levi could get and if being stuck in a plane from a week of work was anything to go by, it would definitely leave his boss unwilling to check his phone often let alone reply.

“Ah, okay. Thanks for letting me know!”

Before Eren could speak up again, Levi’s friend already beat him to it, popping a question with enthusiasm.

“Did you ask because you were supposed to see Levi today!?”

Eren laughed at the other’s curiosity. Glancing sideways at himself dressed up in the mirror, a small smile made its way onto the nervous assistant’s face as he replied warmly.

“Yeah, well, something like that.”

“Ooh! I’ll help you out then. I believe he said he was going to Niccolo’s! Probably getting take out from there before he heads home as always, that grump.”

Laughing at Hanji’s snide but heartfelt remark about Levi, Eren hummed in amusement as Hanji then proceeded to inform him of the address. He put her on speaker, typing it into his phone before saying his byes to Hanji.

“Alright, I have to go now but thanks for the help! I’ll see you on Monday, yeah?”

“Sure thing, kiddo! Maybe then you can let me test a few experiments on you!”

“Aha..we’ll see about that.”

Trailing off with slight nerves, Eren then hung up the phone before taking a deep breath. Glancing at himself one last time, the taller male then turned to Armin with a concerned smile.

“Do I look okay?”

The blond didn’t skip a beat in reassuring his jumbling emotional mess of a friend.

“Eren, if I were gay, I’d say yes. You look _really_ great. Honestly, if you took the time to dress like this to _work_..well I think you’d have a few eyes on you.”

Replying assuringly, Armin smiled at Eren who returned in with relief. The young male’s suit fit him in all the right places and every strand of his hair was in place for once. Unknown to Eren, he was already considered attractive by many around him. His obliviousness to it, however, was a whole other matter in itself. After all, it wasn’t often somebody had eyes that held the ocean in them paired with caramel skin and chiseled features. The assistant jabbed his friend before teasing him with a chuckle.

“Thanks, Ar. You know you’re not bad at all yourself. I think you should actually try for Annie.”

“Wha-!”

Turning red, Armin sputtered at Eren’s suggestion before shaking his head in embarrassment.

“Just go already before you miss Mr. Ackerman..”

Eren grinned and turned to the door, opening it and waving off the blond.

“Will do! Wish me luck.”

Armin waved back, holding open the door while Eren put on his dress shoes and headed out. As the taller male retreated, the blond called out after him.

“You won’t need it!”

The taller male was feeling encouraged as he took a deep breath, leaving behind their apartment. He felt slightly over energetic but it was better than the opposite. Seeing his car come into view, Eren unlocked it, knowing he had to make a quick stop before heading over to Levi.

\-----

Not far from Eren’s place was a small quaint shop that was nestled between two tall buildings. After so many years, it still kept its location despite gentrification due to the place’s great popularity. Polished leather shoes made their way right up to the entrance, swiftly stepping past pots full of various flowers, ranging from bright violet petunias to sky blue forget-me-nots. After a deep breath, smooth caramel fingers encased around a golden doorknob, twisting it before the man made his way in. A small bell above the entrance tinkled merrily, causing the owner of the shop to perk at the sound. A rich, slurred voice bounced off the walls.

“Hello, what can I get for ya- oh! Well, I’ll be damned! Look what we have ‘ere..”

A middle aged man was leaning against a wooden pillar. He stood behind the counter, now looking up from a newspaper in his hands. A brown apron was wrapped around his figure. The man’s face was visibly aged from his longevity in life and flushed from god knows which type of alcohol this time. Immediately upon sight, the older man recognized Eren. His eyes lit up in pleasant surprise as he grinned, the worn toothpick snugly wedged between his teeth bobbing slightly at the action. Eren grinned back, waving at the owner before shoving his hands in his pockets and stopping in front of the counter.

“Hey Hannes. Long time, no see, yeah?”

Hannes was one of the last few people remaining that had the pleasure of knowing Eren when Carla was alive. For Eren, he was like a second father figure despite his inability to drop by the flower shop as much anymore. Life always caught up to the assistant but Hannes always welcomed him with drunken but open arms whenever he needed a place to temporarily call home.The short haired man grinned, running a toughened hand through his buzz cut and letting out a low whistle.

“Indeed. So what brings you here?”

Eren had a sheepish but cheeky smile on his face at the question.

“Well...you know the order for the red roses? That was me.”

The shop owner’ eyes lit up in surprise.

“ _You?_ Last time I checked, you always order chrysanthemums for your mum.

Hannes plucked the toothpick from his teeth, waving it around as he gruffly continued after a hiccup.

“Carla Jaeger..what a strong woman she was.”

Trailing off, the old man had a look of nostalgia on his face. A bittersweet smile made its way to Eren’s face as a pang of longing seared his heart at the thought of his mother. However, it was washed over with comfort at the remembrance of his purpose at the shop.

“Actually..I’m not here for my mother for once. I, uh, I’m getting these flowers for somebody else.”

Nervously admitting with a smile, Eren watched as the surprise in Hannes face only grew at his admittance. Flicking the toothpick out of his hand, Hannes placed his hands on the counter as a huge grin came onto his face, clearly enthusiastic about the other male’s words.

“Really now? I’ll be damned! Who’s the lucky woman!?”

The smile on Eren’s face faltered at Hannes’ last line, a feeling of dread suddenly washing over him. _Ah. Right._ How could Eren forget he was different. Internally sighing, he opened his mouth to make some sort of white lie. Before the first syllable could leave his mouth, however, Eren faltered. Suddenly, a certain someone’s words came rushing full force to the front of his head.

_It can be hard.. coming out. But if anybody gives you shit for it then that’s on them. They’re missing out on the chance of getting to know how great of a person you can be._

The white lie was halted right as it made its way to the tip of his tongue. Levi’s voice echoed Eren’s head. Of all times, the assistant couldn’t help but remember their conversation from the car ride. Slowly, he pressed his lips together firmly.

_What was he doing?_

Eren didn’t have to lie. Levi was right.

He needed to stop hiding and just be _himself_. If Hannes decided to not associate with Eren after watching him grow up since he was a baby, father figure or not, just because he liked men...well, then the other was simply missing out on how great Eren could be. He felt confident now, chest tightening in happiness with his internal epiphany at remembrance of Levi’s words. Slightly parting his lips, Eren quietly breathed out before forming a tight smile. There was no doubt he was still feeling slightly nervous about Hannes possibly responding negatively. But Levi was there mentally, telling the taller male in his chastising voice that he was going to be okay no matter what. And for once? Eren knew to believe in that.

And so he spoke up.

“Actually Hannes...it’s a lucky man. And his name is Levi Ackerman.”

Hannes blinked back, obviously caught off guard as Eren stared back firmly, refusing to look away or show any form of fear at his admittance. _Oh god._ Eren swallowed thickly, hoping the other would at least give him the flowers he paid for before kicking him out at worst. He watched as Hannes slowly turned, walking towards the buckets in the back before coming back with a huge bouquet, beautiful bright red roses wrapped in fine white paper. Looking at the bouquet, Hannes stared at it, silently thinking. Eren stared at him, visibly tensed and on edge. The shop was void of talk as a radio warbled in the background, the two men standing there silently.

Eventually, Hannes looked to the side, roughly grabbing a black sheet. A small twist of confusion made its way into Eren’s face as he watched the old man wrap it around the white casing. Pulling a drawer out, Hannes then slowly took a roll out, cutting off black satin ribbon before tying it into a bow around the bouquet. He finally looked up, meeting the assistant’s eyes. Roughly thrusting the bouquet forward, Hannes hiccuped before jostling the flowers at Eren.

“...‘ere. For your pretty boy. Thought his name sounded classy so I decided to give you some good ‘ol decorations in black.”

A small smile tugged at the florist’s mouth.

“It’s on the house, boy.”

Staring wide eyed at the bouquet, Eren lifted up his hands, not realizing how badly they were trembling. He slowly wrapped his fingers around the flowers, fingers tightly nestled against the satin ribbon. Maybe to any other person, Eren was being emotional. But to him, what he just did was a huge stepping stone. To not only accept his growth in confidence but himself as a person. Especially so when it was said to somebody he had practically grown up with— one of the few people remaining that knew of Eren and his mother when she was alive and still actively loving her son to bits. The taller male looked down fondly at the crimson petals. Hannes accepted him.

He could already see Levi clicking his tongue at the news, saying something along the lines of “See? You had nothing to be worried about, brat.” The thought of it gave him a prickling sensation at the corner of his eyes. Eren made progress and reigned victory over all those years of hiding and shame and it was thanks to the very person the roses were for. Pressing his lips together, Eren bit on his lower one as he fought back tears of relief and basked in the newfound pride towards himself. His genuine self. Watery turquoise eyes met Hannes’ as a shaky laugh escaped his mouth.

“..thanks, Hannes. I- I appreciate it.”

Hannes clicked his tongue, waving off Eren’s gratitude as he let a raspy scoff escape him. If Eren didn’t know any better, he would think the deepened flush on Hannes face was out of being flustered at the gratitude rather than his daily beers for once.

“Oi, don’t go crying on me, Eren! You know I wouldn’t ever turn away business for reasons like that now. Carla would’ve been whoopin’ me from the grave if I ever threw ya out too. We can’t have that now, can we?”

Eren laughed, a fuzzy feeling swelling in his chest at the florist’s words.

“We definitely can’t.”

“Damn right! Now go get that lucky man, lover boy.”

Cradling the roses in one arm, the tall male grinned at Hannes before jokingly saluting him.

“Yes, sir.”

And with that, Eren was on his way, significantly feeling better than he ever had in years. Just wait until Levi heard. The assistant smiled to himself as he imagined the shorter male gruffly giving him the usual vague form of appraisal and running his fingers through Eren’s hair once more.

\-----

Parked outside the restaurant, Eren’s hands nervously gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were ghost white. He glanced to the right at the bouquet, neatly propped up in the passenger’s seat as big red petals jostled gently from the warm air blasting through the vents. There was no Armin or Hannes to shove him into that restaurant. It was now just Eren and his own intuition as the sole driving force. It was up to him and him alone to do this. The assistant looked up ahead at the restaurant, staring a hole into the building as if it would somehow give him x-ray vision to see where exactly Levi was. Another text from Hanji confirmed that Levi was still at the restaurant, relief filling Eren as he wasn’t too late after all. Apparently Levi wasn’t responding to her texts either but the crazed female had a location tracker on Levi’s phone. In her words, it was “for emergencies” but the assistant didn’t bother to get too into that topic as he was more occupied with his current situation. Recognizing he didn’t have all the time in the world to surprise the older male, Eren shakily breathed out forcefully, running a hand through the bottom half of his hair before tugging on his suit to readjust it. He’d be fine. Eren had this in the bag.

From the outside, the restaurant clearly exuded classy vibes, the location being crowded to the point where people were waiting outside to be seated. Grabbing the bouquet and getting out of his car, he snorted at the view. This definitely was no casual dine in like the one he dragged Levi to. Maybe this was the type of place Levi was expecting him to choose back then on that day. Either way, he was glad he stuck with the diner. Checking his reflection in the side mirror one last time, Eren glanced up to see a small group of girls glancing over at him. Feeling slightly embarrassed, the assistant smiled sheepishly before giving them a small wave. The women seemed to be caught by surprise at the action, quickly jerking their heads away as they whispered amongst themselves and flushed. Eren laughed to himself, tearing his eyes away from his reflection as he made his way past his car and the women to the restaurant’s front. He was pretty sure they were staring for good reasons but he never was one to be too overconfident about himself visually. Then again, the people around him always said otherwise, praising his looks and whatnot. At least with his current get up, he could safely say he looked pretty good.

Making his way to the front, Eren glanced around what looked like the order pick up section, eyes scanning dozens of faces as a few glanced back. The ambience was elegant and refined as smooth jazz music played as an undertone to the hushed murmurs of the wealthy people there. Although Eren fit right in visually, he definitely felt out of place as a person. He was a bit confused however as his eyebrows knitted together, unable to spot Levi. Sure, the man was short but it shouldn’t have been that hard..

Feeling worried that he may have missed the other, Eren shook his head in dismay as if trying to shake away any negative thoughts. He was determined and prepared. Even if he missed Levi here, he could always drive to the other’s house. Letting Levi know of his feelings was important and meant a lot to Eren. He couldn’t stop now. At the end of the day, Eren was more than willing to put his heart on the line and anything else he possibly could for the other. About to check his phone and possibly text Hanji about her tracker possibly lagging, a familiar deep chuckle resounded from his left. Eren jerked his head up at record speed, recognizing Levi’s laugh as he looked around, eyes racing through all the faces around him. _Levi was here.._

Eren swallowed thickly, his heart in his throat as he began walking in the direction he heard his boss. A familiar black head of hair could be seen on the other end of the restaurant. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears with every step, gradually getting faster in his walk as anticipation clawed at him. Eren was going to do this. It was now or never-!

“Oh, Levi you’re such a little trouble maker!”

A bright voice exclaimed to the next of the man Eren was trying to make his way towards. Three nicely dressed figures were all seated at a table. Slowly coming to a stop, Eren’s steps faltered as his chest suddenly grew tight.

 _What..?_ _Wasn’t Levi here to pick up food then go home..?_

Brows furrowed in confusion, Eren subconsciously kept his distance, staring at the group from afar as his grip tightened around the red roses. A mixture of uncertainty and hurt sharply teared into his heart as he strained his eyes. Eren was confused.

_Maybe Eren was just imagining it..maybe the man seated at the table wasn’t Levi but another short, black haired individual who happened to wear the same suit and the same name.._

Despite swallowing, the assistant’s throat felt dry and tight as he could pick up the dialogue from where he was standing.

“Hmm? But I’m _your_ troublemaker..”

A teasing tone left the man as the woman on his right wrapped her arms around his right one, leaning in and turning towards him with a beautiful smile. The woman was dressed in a sophisticated gold dress that outlined her nicely shaped figure, bringing out her golden irises. Tucking a strand of auburn behind her ear with a manicured hand, she then beamed at her partner, a smile rivaling the beauty of the roses in Eren’s hand as she exuded grace. Her body looked perfectly pieced, snug up to the other’s as her hand possessively claimed what was hers. Dainty fingers pressed gently but assertively on a black sleeve. A hand was lifted, pale fingers running lovingly through ginger hair as it rested on a slender, petite shoulder.

_It was Petra. The woman was Petra and.._

The man turned to look into those golden eyes, a look of blunt care in usual cold eyes as they fell on the female he was graced with.

_It was Levi._

Eren couldn’t think. He couldn’t talk or breath. It felt like he was watching his worst nightmare unfold from a glass wall, unable to pass the invisible barrier without unceremoniously breaking into the happy, loving scene. Like the unnatural monstrosity he was. Where Petra resided right now..he never belonged in that spot. Levi merely tricked Eren into thinking he did and fuck did it work somehow even if for only a little. A stuttered breath left Eren’s lips as he had front row tickets to witness his worst nightmare unfolding right before him. 

Eren was nineteen..he wasn’t the grubby little kid with anger issues that he used to be. He was an adult, aware of how the world works. So why couldn’t he stop his shoulders from shaking erratically at the sight of Levi and Petra together, happily engaged? He felt upset and angry, itching to break something as his grip around the bouquet tightened, causing the poor roses’ stems to strain under his hold. But what he felt most of all while watching Levi place a kiss to Petra’s forehead was unbearable shame. Shame for falling for Levi. Shame for thinking he had a chance. Burning, choking shame that he thought he could ever be a fraction of what Petra was. Eren felt extremely embarrassed, unable to not scrutinize every past waking moment he had with Levi as the voices in his head laughed at himself for ever believing he could be loved back. Had he really been that delusional? Especially as he stood there like the dumb teenager he was, watching the love of his life love someone else behind his back.

Eren forced himself to linger a second longer, standing there lifelessly as customers and waiters walked back and forth past him. To let the scene of his stupidity painfully burn into his eyes so that he would never, ever make the same mistake of falling in love with Levi Ackerman ever again. Not bothering to hold the flowers up with care, Eren let his arm drop as the roses shuddered out a few petals from the rough treatment. He watched as Levi laughed at something Petra had said along with the other stranger, his head tilting back ever so lightly as grey eyes crinkled in amusement. Here Eren was, trying his best all the time to even get the smallest of smiles to his boss’ face while Petra had him buckling over in mere seconds. The older male’s eyes strayed as he chuckled, suddenly wandering to the area in which Eren stood. Just as grey eyes could possibly recognize him, Eren took one last heartbroken look at Levi before booking it, unable to bear his heart getting smashed to bits right in front of him.

\-----

“So when’s the wedding, you two?”

_Why are you asking? Like you’d be invited, pigface._

Petra smiled brightly, hands clasped together in excitement as she beamed at the man across the table.

“It will be in the spring!”

_Wow, fucking great. Allergies and a skyrocket in venue pricing._

“Both Levi and I have been planning this for a while and we just had to do it when all the beautiful flowers were out! Isn’t that right, dear?”

Petra turned to face the shorter male, eyes lit up in anticipation as she imagined her future wedding. Levi clicked his tongue, lips pressed together to form a slightly strained smile as he repressed his thoughts.

“Mmm, yes. My favorite, _darling_.”

The table slightly vibrated with laughter as the man across from them chuckled at the interaction, slicing into a piece of his steak. Levi stared down at the dish as the sauce spilled over the side, a few drops splattering against the cream table cloth. Pursing his lips in distaste, it took every ounce of the older male to restrain himself from commenting on it as he took a swig of his drink. Levi was exhausted and would have liked nothing more than to go home. However, duty calls and as much as he would like to give it a big “fuck you”, the grumpy businessman knew this CEO slobbering on his meal in front of them was important. Unfortunately for Levi, Aurille was an important clientele and had taken an excessive interest in Petra’s company, ultimately leading to Levi getting looped into these antiques as well. After all, it would look bad if Levi left Petra to fend for herself from this grub and he wouldn’t have wanted to abandon her anyways. After all, Petra did matter to Levi as much as he didn’t say so just like for all the others around him.

“You two are quite the couple, I must say! Very adorable. Never would have thought you’d find romance at work...but I’m guessing that is more likely than you’d think, huh?”

Muddy brown eyes glinted at Levi as the pudgy man smiled sickly and took a bite of his steak, chewing enthusiastically. Levi had a tight expression on his face. He mentally bit back his tongue to refrain from saying anything at the other’s underhanded jab. Petra nervously giggled, leaning in towards Levi.

“Oh..well! Love always pops up in the most unexpected ways! I’m sure you can understand..”

Humming in agreement to Petra’s statement, Levi turned to the side, ordering another drink. He was definitely going to need to be slightly buzzed to get through this hellish experience. First, Erwin sends him on some dog shit trip for work at the last minute then he gets a sudden “work lunch” sprung on him right when his feet fucking hit the ground back home. That meant a delay for resting and in talking things out with Eren. He hadn’t even time to check anything, not even a stop at home as his luggage was still in his car when he drove straight to Niccolo’s. Life was just fucking peachy. Levi cussed internally to himself. _Erwin better have put this stupid lunch on the company card._

Levi’s hands were itching to reach for his phone and text the bright eyed brat that invaded his thoughts now and then. Eren probably was sitting around at home in some boxers and old shirt, waiting around for a confirmation to talk today. Unfortunately, he knew better than to check his phone during a work lunch with an important business figure. No matter how much the sleazy man’s attitude made Levi want to chuck said phone right into Aurille’s forehead. Normally, Levi would not even entertain the idea in itself of going through this stupid hospitability shit but Aurille was a money bringer and quite disgustingly so, the grimy man had taken a liking to Petra. Therefore, through not so difficult critical thinking, it was naturally summed up for Levi, to be right by her during these stupid meetings. After all, it would be quite shameful if Petra’s fiancé were to not do something about it.

Deciding to get straight to the point, Levi cleared his throat before pulling out a binder.

“On another note, we should get back to the important matters like the adults we are. Regarding your stock invested into our company-”

Aurille belted out in a low chuckle, cutting off Levi as the shorter man merely shot him a dark look, unamused. Setting down his cutlery, he grinned at the two Survey Corps employees before clicking his tongue.

“Always cut throat about work, aren’t you, Mr. Ackerman? I would think you’re engaged to your work instead of this fine young woman..”

Left eye twitching at the passive jeer, Levi briskly snapped the binder shut as soon as he opened it, staring Aurille down. _Could this blubbering buffoon ever not dawdle around the real reasons why they were really there? Obviously work and play looked the same to this idiot._ Wanting to cut the other off before he thought he had a chance, Levi got straight to the matter being prodded at. The stoney eyed male clenched his jaw before flashing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Trust me, Aurille. I can more than handle Petra during and outside of work.”

The small ginger woman flushed at the commentary, smacking Levi’s shoulder as she exclaimed in a high squeak.

“Oh, Levi you’re such a little trouble maker!”

Nodding at her to show approval, Petra beamed up at me before wrapping slender arms around one of Levi’s. A sudden unwanted thought of bigger, longer arms around Levi flashed into the shorter man’s mind in place but he quickly shook it off. Now was not the time for that. What mattered for the time being was Petra and the company. Levi had made a promise to himself to see things through. Therefore, that was what he would do.

“Hmm? But I’m _your_ troublemaker..”

Carding pale fingers through Petra’s hair, Levi teased the female back before letting his hand rest on her shoulders, right in place as he claimed her possessively in front of Aurille. He looked down into pools of honey brown lovingly for a good second, asserting his bond with Petra before silver eyes waded back to the man across them. Cheeks slightly flushed, Petra coughed hastily before smiling sheepishly and shooting a small jibe as well.

“Why don’t you say that _after_ you manage to get through our vows, dear?”

Slightly amused by Petra’s display of attitude, Levi chuckled, letting his head tilt back as his eyes looked to the side. Expecting to see nothing new, the frigid male stilled in shock as his eyes locked with what looked like..

_...Eren??_

An abnormally familiar figure stood across the restaurant in a suit holding a bouquet. The older male’s blood ran cold. Pure shock splashed across Levi’s face like cold water. He suddenly stiffened, sitting up straighter as he now turned his whole head in said direction.

A single blink and gunmetal irises locked with nothing as Levi stared at the normal scenery. Random people were walking by but there was no assistant in sight. Whatever he thought he saw was not there. Grimacing, Eren’s boss shook his head as he turned back to face his group. Great. Now Levi was at the point where he was hallucinating Jaeger from the jet lag and lack of sleep too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...crap. I guess I did do that.  
> And on my birthday too.  
> Oh well. Shit was going to hit the fan eventually.


	22. Papers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is Saturday meaning yet another shitty chapter.  
> Hope you all enjoy because shit hits the fan.

**Chapter 22**

_Eren’s POV_

Black. All Eren could see was black.

Then he opened his eyes.

And saw more black.

Lifeless, empty ocean eyes stared up at a white smooth ceiling that was barely distinguishable in the dark as Eren laid on the cold wooden floor. The only source of illumination to aid his vision was the dim moonlight seeping in between the curtains.

Well. Not that Eren could give a shit if he could see anything or not. He wasn’t planning on moving anytime soon. The apartment speakers blasted sad song after sad song as he laid there like a dead fish, bottle of liquor in one hand and a smoke in the other. Eren couldn’t bother to even keep up with the time or the day. Ever since Sunday, he shut himself in his apartment, unable to lift a finger or pretend everything was fine. Armin frantically asked him what went down as soon as he quietly returned, a smile slipping off his face at the sight of Eren’s slumped figure, void of will. In response, he had simply stared blankly back at Armin, quietly mumbling for his friend to get him the transfer to Erwin’s department that he asked for months ago in the very beginning before retreating to the bedroom.

Since then, Armin tried gently coaxing Eren out, temporarily stopping his attempts as soon as he saw his friend being absolutely despondent. Understanding Eren needed time, Armin quietly allowed the other to console himself in the meantime, not bothering to disturb his best friend as he quietly went about his own schedule. The occasional soft goodnight before they went to bed and reminder of Armin being there was the only thing that made Eren realize time was passing.

It was now Tuesday or Wednesday—fuck if Eren knew—and Armin quietly told him he was going to stay at Ymir and Christa’s for the night to give Eren some space. Thankfully Mikasa wasn’t aware. Otherwise, she would be unable to respect his boundaries like Armin did and hound him for answers he didn’t have the energy or knowledge to give.

([ X ](https://youtu.be/HjmBLCbTgDo)) A new song played over the speakers in the background as Eren’s chest tightened in recognition of the first chord. He felt himself wallowing in his self hatred and resentment at Levi, slightly buzzed and drunk. Lifting a left-handed cigarette to his mouth, Eren's fingers slightly trembled as he placed the stick between his lips, closing his eyes as he took another long draw with a shudder. It would help him forget. That’s all that mattered. He didn’t really smoke but he used to do weed a lot in highschool to get through the angst.

Now, he needed it more than ever again. Eren didn’t want to be in a state where he could choose whether to think or not. He just wanted to be so gone, so off the edge that he was physically unable to form coherent thoughts.

♪ Hey, you

I'm just now leaving..

Can I come around later on this evening?

Or do you need time?

Yes, of course, that's fine 

Hey, you

Good morning

I'm sure you're busy now, why else would you ignore me?

Or do you need space?

You can't help it if your mind has changed ♪ 

More tears trickled from his eyes as a result, overlapping the dried tear stains already residing on his cheeks. Eren parted his lips and let the smoke puff out into the darkness. He listened to the words that mirrored the same mindset he had when it came to Levi with delirious pained amusement. He really was head over heels for Levi. A cracked, dry laugh that sent a squeezing pain through his lungs escaped Eren as he brought his hands up to his face. He began digging his palms into his eyelids, trying to keep his lower lip from trembling as he grit his teeth. His head was throbbing with a pain that still couldn’t match the one residing in his heart. And so he dulled it with a bunch of liquor.

After all, this wasn’t a situation you could fix. There was no way out of being second place. There was no one way ticket to affections. Lifting his head up and letting it thump back down against the floor to feel something, the brunette let his tangled strands of hair pool around his neck. Maybe if he rolled over, they could tangle around his neck and choke Eren out of his misery. He couldn’t remember the last time he ate a proper meal or showered.

...Levi probably would have smacked him on the head and scolded him for not showering for one day let alone multiple. The smallest twitch of a smile tugged on the corner of Eren’s lips as he played the heartwarming scenario in his head. The first smile he made since Sunday. It made his heart squeeze in an unbearably warm way. Nevertheless, it disappeared as soon as he came back to reality. It didn’t matter now. No matter how much Eren had his boss’ smile photographed into his memory, those lips weren’t his to daydream over anymore. Eren couldn’t help it as he drunkenly belted out the next verse. It came out shaky and hoarse. Out of bittersweet affections for a man Eren now resented but was still madly in love with.

♪ So go ahead and break my heart again

Leave me wonderin' why the hell I ever let you in

Are you the definition of insanity?

Or am I?

Oh, it must be nice

To love someone who lets you break them twice ♪ 

Levi was the light of Eren’s life. He never felt this way about another man before. At first it was a dumb crush, the teenager simply being smitten with black coarse hair and sharp gunmetal eyes. But now Eren loved the way those stormy eyes would light up like his mom’s christmas lights when the assistant said something stupid. He loved the way Levi’s shaved undercut felt when his long tan fingers brushed against the grain. He loved the other’s crass but endearing vocabulary when it was directed just for the brunette.

Now, Eren realized it was never his to begin with. Those moonlight eyes and midnight hair never belonged to him. They belonged to a more socially acceptable person—a woman—named Petra. It didn’t matter if Eren was the most loving, perfect human there could be. He was a man and Petra was a woman. At the end of the day, she would always be chosen. His heart began racking up a dull ache. A pained yell left Eren’s mouth as he slammed the bottle in his other hand down on the floor again. He was pissed. He wanted to scream and cry at the same time.

It must have been so fucking nice. So _fucking_ peachy to be able to play out those stupid romance stories without anybody blinking at you twice for having emotions. Instead, Eren had to get screwed over time and time again. For having fucking _feelings._ And for what?? Because Eren fell hard for an older man instead of some pretty woman society would like?

Because he fell for Levi?

  
  


♪ Don't pretend that I'm the instigator

You were the one, but you were born to say goodbye

Kissed me half, a decade later

That same perfume, those same sad eyes ♪

A small whimper left Eren’s lips as he smacked a hand over his mouth, refusing to let his cries echo throughout the apartment again. His thoughts were clearer than ever in his head despite the weed and alcohol.

Eren didn’t want a pretty woman. He wanted his crass, potty mouthed grump of a boss. He just wanted Levi..

..but Levi didn’t want him.

♪ Go ahead and break my heart again

Leave me wonderin' why the hell I ever let you in

Are you the definition of insanity?

Or am I?

Or am I?

It must be nice

To love someone who lets you break them twice ♪

Everything felt meaningless. Life was fucking meaningless. All people did was fuck you over and then screw you some more for the hell of it. Eren was a fool to think it could be different for him. He didn’t want to feel anything anymore. Rolling over to his side, Eren blinked out a few tears out of his eyes before slowly closing them and curling up against the floor, passing out once more.

\-----

_Levi’s POV_

“What the absolute _fuck_ is going on?”

Snarling venomously, Levi slammed his hands down on his desk as the rest of his team shrunk under his glare. Jean, Sasha and Connie stood in front of Levi’s desk in his office, staring back at their boss with panicked looks. It was Thursday and by now, Levi’s already small capacity for patience had run thin. As a result, his other employers were now facing the consequences of Eren’s no show instead.

The last person you wanted to get angry was Levi Ackerman. And Levi Ackerman was very much angry right now.

“Kirschtein, where the everloving _shit_ is Jaeger?”

Levi barked out as Jean’s breath stuttered and he grimaced.

“I-I don’t know, sir. None of us have been able to get a hold of him either..”

Snapping his deadly glare over to the other two, Levi thinned his lips in frustration as he said their names borderline threateningly.

“ _Sasha? Connie?_ ”

Sasha and Connie both vigorously shook their heads, the two employees slightly cowering at the wrath of their boss. Ever since Eren had gone M.I.A., the rest of the team had to split Eren’s work, ultimately suffering from Levi’s bad mood and extra cut throat attitude. From Sasha remaking his tea three times to Jean and Connie doubling over all of Eren’s files, the rest of Levi’s team had no idea how Eren did it all this time. At first, there was mild annoyance for the other’s lack of professionalism from being absent but at this point it was just flatout worrisome. Despite the office being drowned in a tense, negative aura, all people present could silently agree they were concerned about the emerald eyed assistant. Unknown to the rest of the people in the room, even Levi wasn’t getting a response to his texts sent to Eren. Although Eren could get out of pocket with his emotions, it wasn’t like him to not come to work without any form of an excuse or notification to anybody. Just as Levi was about to go on another rampage and verbally mutilate his team once again, another person entered the room.

“Ah..Mr. Ackerman? Here are the new clients and a few papers for you to sign..”

Armin briskly walked in with a sheepish smile, holding out the forms. Levi’s team went into temporary shock at the sight of the blond, realization swinging full force into them all simultaneously. _Of course- how could they not remember!?_

“ARMIN!”

The blond practically jumped a foot in the air at Sasha’s screech, turning around to face her as soon as Levi snatched the files from his hand.

“Y-yes??”

Visibly surprised, Armin responded questionably with a skittish look. Sasha exclaimed with wide eyes as her ponytail swung around from her bouncing around.

“I can’t believe I forgot! Don’t you live with Eren!? Where is he??”

“Ah..yeah? Why? Is he not in today..?”

Replying sheepishly, Armin glanced around at the others, a flash of alarm going over his face as his eyes finally met Levi’s. He then quickly looked away out of nervousness, refusing to meet the shorter male’s eyes as Levi’s jaw clenched. Ever since the incident where Armin had caught them, Levi didn’t bother to say a word to Armin and Armin didn’t dare approach Levi about it. However, maybe Levi was being too wary with refusing to ask Armin about Eren out of fear of them looking suspicious and possibly getting exposed. Then again, he would always prefer to be too skeptical rather than idiotically apparent. Clicking his tongue as his mood darkened, Levi stopped glaring a hole into Armin’s head and jerked open the folder he was given as the rest of his team took care of finding Eren.

“Armin, he hasn’t been in _this whole week_!”

Jean exclaimed in an annoyed tone as Armin’s eyes temporarily widened at the information. Connie rubbed his buzz cut before making a face at the blond’s reaction and questioning him.

“Oi, Armin, why do you look so surprised for? Wouldn’t you know that out of all of us?”

Slowly recomposing himself, Armin shook his head before wincing at himself and looking to the side warily.

“..I haven’t been able to talk to him much let alone about work and I haven’t been to your department until today this week. I was kind of being optimistic and hoping he was just showing up to work..”

Holding a hand up, Jean then made a face himself before staring skeptically at Armin.

“Hold up..why haven’t you been able to talk with him? Did you two get into a fight or something?”

“Wha- Oh no! No, that isn’t it..I..”

Not wanting to spill anything he shouldn’t, Armin trailed off with uncertainty as he avoided making eye contact with any of their friends. The panicked male then fidgeted with his hands before mumbling.

“I can’t really say..I ju-”

“ _Armin, what the fuck is this?_ ”

Interrupted, a murderous growl came from behind Erwin’s assistant. Armin quickly turned to face Levi who was currently glaring down at the papers Armin gave him, seething grey eyes slowly looking up to meet frightened blue ones. In a pale hand was a set of forms clutched so tightly that they were beginning to crinkle in Levi’s grip. The paper eventually gave in, crackling loudly as Armin winced at the sound and the paper’s destroyed state. Swallowing anxiously, the timid male hesitated as he struggled to maintain eye contact with Levi’s glare, replying in the most even voice he could muster.

“.....it’s a transfer request form.”

Grinding his teeth, Lev whipped the papers with a pissed off look as he waved them around.

“I can clearly see that, blondie. What I’m asking is why the hell this is in _my hands._ ”

“...because one of your workers requested a transfer..to Erwin’s department a few months ago.”

Levi blinked hard for a good second, eyebrows furrowing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. After a long moment, he slowly turned to his team, holding up the papers as he spoke between clenched teeth.

“Great. We have this to deal with on top of being one man down...which one of you little shits requested a _transfer_ without a word to my face?”

Shoulders tensing up, Armin watched with wide eyes as the rest of the team stared back with big eyes. They were all lost and panicked as their boss continued his tongue lashing.

“I run a tight ship here but if you can’t put on your big adult pants and tell me when you’re having problems on my team then my foot right here can remind your asses wh-”

“ _It’s Eren!_ ”

Cutting Levi off with a squeaky exclamation, Armin blurted out the answer as the older man came to a stop mid-lecture. It didn’t go unnoticed by Armin that a brief look of hurt flashed over the raven haired male’s face before it was masked into a perfect lack of emotions once again. Well, besides rage that is. Levi’s present team stared at Armin with equally lost looks, visibly bewildered by the news as much as Levi seemed to be at first. A long frigid silence washed over the office room as everybody tried to process Eren’s sudden request to leave. Well..not so sudden if it was first brought up _months_ ago. Eventually, Connie spoke up in disbelief.

“Oi...you can’t be serious, right, Armin..? This some kind of bad joke..?”

On the other hand, Jean scowled, face palming as annoyance was visible in his facial expressions.

“You’re telling me that suicidal maniac is leaving _our_ team. _Why?_ ”

“I..I can’t say..”

Armin trailed off with a sigh as Sasha had now fully processed the news like the rest of them, holding her hands up in dramatic grief as she wailed.

“Noooo...Eren!! Why!? Who’s going to give me half their lunch now?!”

Amidst all the conversation, Levi remained silently shocked, staring down blankly at the crumpled papers that requested his signature for approval.

_What the hell was going on?_

Levi was at a loss, extremely frustrated with the growing situation at hand and lack of responses and communication from Eren. And now the brat was apparently requesting to leave his team?? What kind of fucking act was Eren pulling!? He was unable to find a rational reasoning behind this shitshow, therefore causing Levi himself to become irrational with rage. Barely able to keep himself from practically combusting, Levi spoke up in a dark tone, voice murderous despite being quiet. It was possible the lack of volume only added more to the fear factor.

“..Armin, where the _fuck_ is Eren?”

Eyes wide with fear, Armin fidgeted with his fingers, automatically replying with no time for hesitance from the hold of intimidation Eren’s boss gained on him.

“A-apartment..”

At this point, Levi was very angry and maybe the slightest bit scared shitless and worried. Uncaring of his sudden unprofessionalism, he snatched his keys.

“We’re going.”

“Huh!?”

As Armin squeaked out a noise of confusion, Levi ignored it and walked past him, expecting the other to keep up. The rest of Eren’s friends remained quiet, not wanting to infuriate Levi despite being slightly confused and surprised that the older man was going to retrieve Eren right in the middle of work. Looking at Levi’s team, Armin cast a look of bewilderment before hastily jogging to catch up to Levi. Eren really wasn’t kidding when he said Levi walked fast..

As they got into an elevator, the small space was deafeningly tense and silent. Eventually, Armin decided to attempt asking Levi why his presence was needed.

“Uh..sir..? Is there a reason I need to come? I mean, I’m from Erwin’s department so a sudden leave from work like this is a bi-”

“Shut the fuck up, Arlert. I’ll take care of all that bullshit. Right now, I just want to know what the hell is going on and I’m not going to stand outside Eren’s apartment for a shitting eternity if he doesn’t open the damn door.”

Cutting the blond off, Levi shot him a look before crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently. Armin then nodded weakly before looking out of the corner of his eye, away from Eren’s boss. _Great..so he was basically being dragged along to be utilized as the apartment key to get inside.._

Glancing back at Levi discreetly, Armin let his thoughts wander. He always knew Eren had a weird taste in things but he could never understand how his friend had ever gotten himself to be so smitten with Levi. Then again, he didn’t know a single thing about their relationship. It wasn’t like his Eren’s boss was ugly either. In fact, he was very attractive despite his height but the personality...was definitely different.

“Something to say, blondie? You look constipated.”

Stammering as Erwin’s assistant realized he had been caught, Armin shook his head before mumbling a small no. He felt on edge in a pissed off Levi’s presence as he thought to himself frantically. Armin had no idea what was going on still but Eren better be ready to talk. As much as he might anger his best friend, he was going to let Levi in no matter what because the blond cared about Eren. It was clear neither party had confronted whatever this issue seemed to be and it was always necessary to talk first at the very least. Hopefully whatever this was, it could be resolved.

\-----

Briskly walking up to Eren’s and Armin’s apartment, Levi didn’t waste a second in heading towards their home. Armin hurried to chase after Levi, still unable to figure out how Eren’s boss could walk ahead so fast with those short legs. Armin glanced back at the fancy Bugatti before hastily speaking up.

“Erm- don’t you need to lock the do-”

“Shut up, Arlert.”

“Yes, sir..”

Meekly responding, Armin grimaced as they walked up to the apartment door. As much as Levi’s face could mask void of expression besides anger, Armin could tell Levi was just as panicked as everybody else. In fact, he might have been more alarmed than the others if Levi’s inability to waste a second in locking his Bugatti and more snappy than usual behavior was anything to go by. Armin nervously stood behind Levi as the shorter male didn’t waste a second to bother asking Armin to open the door for him as he made it to the door a second before his assistant’s friend, already banging violently on the wooden door. To add to the distressed attempt, Levi began snarling out his assistant’s name.

“EREN.”

Armin made a face as Levi continued assaulting their entrance. Looking around, he swallowed nervously. He really hoped they didn’t get a noise complaint or questioning neighbors after all this..

After a minute of thunderous knocking, the shorter male paused, scowl darkening as there was no response coming from the other side.

“Eren, you fucking brat, _open up or I’ll kick this door down._ ”

Levi only let a brief single second of nothingness pass until he lifted up his leg and slammed it against the wooden exterior, door creaking under the older man’s kick.

 _Holy shit!?_ Armin let out a small squeak of alarm at the interaction, shocked at the sound the door gave. He knew Levi wasn’t weak but he didn’t realize he might have been losing his apartment door to the older man! Armin began frantically digging in his pockets before holding a hand up.

“Ohmygod- Levi, please _wait..._! You brought me here for a reason, remember?”

Frantically jingling the keys looped around his fingers, Armin brandished them to Levi who finally turned to give him a look. Pursing his lips, Eren’s boss simply gave him a good long stare before slightly shifting to the right, thankfully no longer hellbent on breaking down their door. Letting out a sigh of relief, Armin hurried to the door, fumbling to slip the key in as he recovered from shock. He knew Levi had a harsh attitude and temper but he didn’t realize the other had monstrous strength to go with it. I mean, how could you when all you did at work was file papers and relay calls!? One more kick and Armin was sure Levi would have actually been able to break down the door. Erwin’s assistant made a mental note to himself to not ever cross Levi. Just as Armin got the key into the hole, the door unceremoniously creaked open. Scoffing, Levi muttered flippantly and glared at the back of Armin’s head as the blond’s eyebrows knitted in confusion.

“Finally got it open, Arlert?”

“Wait..I didn’t even turn the ke-”

Simultaneously looking up, the two fell silent at the sight before them. Levi’s eyes widened.

A drunken, drugged out Eren was facing them with drained eyes and a tired, annoyed expression. The taller male looked absolutely wrecked and uncared for, hair scruffed and tangled while he donned eye bags that were on par with Levi’s for once. Multiple tear streaks were painted down his face along with Eren’s eyes being red. Whether it was from drugs or crying, Eren didn’t care to find out. The door was the only support for him to drunkenly hold onto in order to keep himself up. Levi didn’t fail to notice the bottle of whiskey clutched tightly in Eren’s hand. His jaw clenched as his throat tightened at the pathetic sight of his wrecked assistant.

Looking at Armin, Eren’s look was one of uncaring exhaustion until the assistant slowly looked over and saw Levi in person for the first time in a while. Absolute sadness crashed onto his face as heartbroken ocean eyes met grey ones. Levi’s eyes widened when Eren then looked away, shocked as the younger male refused to acknowledge him. It was like a slap in the face for Levi, leaving him more lost about what was going on and hurt from Eren’s unexpected disregard.

“....what is it.”

Stating hoarsely in a cracked voice, Eren asked weakly as his shoulders slumped, already tired from standing up for too long. Walking up slowly to his assistant, Levi stood right in front of Eren as he looked up. _What the hell was Eren doing drunken out like a college frat boy?_ Catching a whiff, the muscles in Levi’s neck contracted as he kept his instinct to throw up back down. _Christ, Eren reeked of weed too._ Brows furrowed as Levi’s face twisted with disgust at the brunette’s state. Armin quietly stepped to the side, intent on remaining out of the way and silent.

“....Are you drunk and high at _11 in the morning_? Who the fuck shitted on your parade, Jaeger?”

Asking dryly, Levi crossed his arms as he glared up at Eren, slightly unsettled by the other’s out of character attitude and unprofessionalism. This wasn’t the determined, passionate bright eyed assistant he knew. Eren looked...like a broken shell of his former self. A flash of anger crossed over the assistant’s expression at the question, startling Levi before it subsided back into nothingness. Gritting his teeth, Eren frowned before running a hand over his face. He turned away, mumbling dejectedly with slight bitterness.

“...why are you even here, Mr. Ackerman?”

Levi could practically smell the Jack Daniel’s off of Eren’s breath as he spoke. A pang of hurt edged into his chest at the taller male’s attitude, clearly cold and distant with the stiff addressment. Eren didn’t bother to give the other the time or day to wait for a proper response, trudging back into his apartment. Levi’s frown deepened as he eventually followed Eren into his home, intent on receiving answers..and maybe just making sure Eren was okay. Mentally taking a step back, Levi pinched his nose as the smell of alcohol and weed hit him like a truck once again upon entry. _Jesus fuck_ it smelled like a druggie’s place. Frustrated as Eren still refused to properly look at him, Levi sharply exhaled as he watched his assistant slump over on the couch and stare tiredly at the television which was playing some random romance movie. The faint dialogue of a lovesick man confessing to a pretty, dolled up blonde woman faintly resounded. Levi simply watched from afar, staring at Eren from the side as he silently questioned why the other was so fucked up. Grey eyes couldn’t pull away as Eren took another excessive swig from his bottle, head practically lolling over as dimmed teal eyes stared vacantly at the couple on the screen.

He hated seeing Eren like this. It was heartbreaking.

“Why wouldn’t I be here? You’ve been not showing up to work for _four_ fucking days, not responding to any of my texts and now I receive _this piece of shit scene?_ Stop fucking around with me Jaeger and let’s get your ass back to work.”

Holding up the transfer forms in his hands, Levi glared at Eren as he slowly turned to stare at the sheets, eye twitching in slight aggravation from his boss’ snappish voice.

Levi’s jaw tightened.

 _Good._ It was better than seeing Eren void of any emotions. A dry, humourless laugh left Eren’s lips as he turned back to the movie and spoke up sourly.

“ _Hah..!_ Me? Fucking around? That’s rich coming from you, Levi.”

 _What the hell?_ Taken aback by the other’s hostility, Levi stood there temporarily shocked as the other’s response was lost on him. What was Eren talking about? Grey eyes eventually narrowed before he replied in a warning tone.

“..the shit is that supposed to mean, Eren?”

Eren kept his eyes trained on the film, visibly tense as he refused to look at Levi, unable to keep his cool or retain the little composure he had if he met those steel grey eyes. Parting his lips, an uneven, angered tone left him as he spoke up knowingly.

“..I saw you.”

Levi stared hard at Eren, even more confused as he crossed his arms, agitated and frustrated with the other’s delirious, crazed act. He replied dryly, sarcasm etched deeply into his response.

“Great. I appreciate your ability to use your eyes, brat-”

“NO.”

Roaring out with anger, Eren now had turned to glare at Levi, absolute anger and hatred in his eyes. Levi stood there, still taken aback by the other’s spike in aggression directed at him. Eren slammed the whiskey bottle down on the table in front of him, the abrupt bang startling Levi. Fingers trembled around the brown glass as Eren’s other hand was balled up into a tight fist, nails digging into the palm of his hands. Levi’s stomach churned at the sight and his assistant’s behavior. However, Levi didn’t have to think a minute longer about what to say next.

Or rather he couldn’t as Eren spoke up again through clenched teeth.

“I _saw_ you at the restaurant with your fiancé.”

Levi stood frozen as those words dejectedly left Eren’s mouth in a quiet, heartbroken croak, voice ragged with lack of sleep and proper care for himself. _When he thought he saw Eren..it wasn’t his imagination._

Levi was stunned, unable to speak as the other continued staring at him with those resentful, stormy ocean eyes. Finally, Eren managed to rack out his words, a contempt expression painting his face as his tone came out cracked and angered.

“Was it nice? Fucking enjoying your meal and doting on your soon to be wife, Levi? I bet it felt _great_ to lovingly stroke her hair like she was the only one ever in your heart!”

Eren felt lightheaded as the blood rushed to his head when standing up, staggering for a fraction of a second and placing himself in front of Levi. His boss could only stand there, frigid and in shock as Eren yelled he caught him red handed. Lips thinning, Levi stared hard back at the other and spoke up in a low, quiet voice.

“..Eren..it’s not what it looks like-”

“Then _what the hell_ is it, Levi!? _Explain to me._ ”

“I..I can’t say.”

Eren could only stare at him in angered shock and disbelief. He couldn’t believe he was hearing what Levi was saying. _He couldn’t say!?_ Eren scoffed. So much for Petra not being in the picture. Eren had just caught him in a lie and Levi was still bullshitting him as if he was stupid. If Eren needed to determine just how much he was really worth to Levi, it was definitely the treatment he was receiving right now from him, each second of silence and lack of explanation a slash to Eren’s heart.

“..You can’t say. _Great. Fucking GREAT._ ”

Hissing out between gritted teeth, Levi silently watched Eren as his assistant snatched the bottle back up before running his fingers through a mop of tangled brown. A pregnant pause washed over the two as Eren turned to stare at the wall. It was taking everything in him to not punch out something. Eventually, the rage could only last for so long as a weared down Eren stared tiredly ahead at nothing in particular. Taking a long chug of Jack Daniel’s, Levi could only watch Eren wreck himself in disdain with each excessive chug of the liquor. Unable to stop himself, Levi spoke up quietly.

“..Brat, you need to slow down on the dri-”

“Don’t tell me what to fucking do. And _don’t_ fucking call me that.”

Replying in a low growl, Eren remained unmoving as Levi fell silent, quickly going quiet as soon as Eren spat back his warning.

“...I’m not your fucking brat anymore.”

Croaking out in a barely audible whisper, Eren directed a sad angry look at his boss who had now stared back with pain in his own eyes at the statement. Shoving aside his remorse, Eren ran a hand over his face before scoffing.

“Does your own fucking fiancé know that you’ve been sucking another man’s cock? Does Petra know that you aren’t as fucking loyal as she _thinks_?”

As Eren spat out in aggression, Levi’s lips pressed together. He kept himself disturbingly quiet, refusing to play into an emotional stupor like Eren. It didn’t stop the flash of hurt from the other’s harsh words run through him however at Eren’s wording. Levi spoke up in a low, warning tone.

“Oi, Eren..”

Fingering the neck of the glass, Eren’s head felt busy and fuzzy as hot tears pricked at his eyes. It’s true that he was surprised Levi even spared time to come to check up on him but it was the fact that the bar was so low in the first place that broke Eren’s heart. Eren felt so emotionally _wrecked_. He knew Levi was still standing there, silent and watching him. The assistant spoke up in a pained whisper, voice uneven and cracking as sadness enveloped him, subconsciously making him say his true feelings aloud behind all the teenage angst and bitterness.

“..you know..I didn’t know what we had. I still don’t even. But I thought it was something..I thought we had something special.”

Eren’s lower lip trembled as the tears finally gave way, silently falling down his cheeks. If the ocean was in Eren’s eyes, it was now all falling out, leaving behind empty dull teal in those lifeless irises. All Levi could do was watch the cause of his own carelessness unfold before him, being the reason himself for Eren’s pain for once.

“You are so nitpicky about cleaning...you’re old and grouchy...you cuss like a sailor and make excessive shit jokes..”

Listing the other’s faults tiredly, Eren then slowly turned to look at Levi once more, sadly smiling as tear drops collected under his chin and splattered down. Roughly sniffling, Eren let out another dry laugh before giving Levi that look once more. The same look Levi received when they stargazed together. When Eren looked up from his mother’s portrait and smiled at the sight of Levi. When Eren dipped him under those Christmas lights. Levi’s chest tightened under that gaze, breath snatched clean from him as his heart paced fast at those beautiful ocean eyes.

“..but I love all of it. You’d think that after all these months of settling for nothing..I wouldn’t feel so selfish about having every last part of you. You don’t _understand_ ..it can only be you for me. _”_

Lifting up an arm, the assistant let his hand fall into Levi’s hair once more, sliding long tan fingers along those silky back strands before cupping the other’s cheek gently like he was porcelain. The taller male looked down lovingly at Levi before smiling sadly.

“But I am a selfish man who wants every part of you down to every finger and strand of hair. I can’t leave any part of you for somebody else to take cause I’m greedy when it comes to...loving you.”

 _Love..? Eren loved..him._ Levi’s heart thumped loudly in his chest as grey eyes looked needily into turquoise ones. It _was_ such a loving look, one that made Levi feel like he was the best thing in the world instead of a broken man for once in his life. A look he wished to be met with from the brat for eternity. His heart strings had never been yanked so hard before in his life. But much to his knowing and Eren’s, it was likely the last time he’d ever be able to see Eren look that way. The younger man then spoke up in a soft whisper, words piercing right through Levi's chest from the sheet blatant weak vulnerability of it all.

“Sometimes..sometimes I wished I wasn’t myself. A little shorter, a little softer..a little more closer to Petra so that I can shamelessly love you..but I’m just a stupid overtly tall and dumb teenager who happens to be a man.”

The waves crashed once more, leaving behind the same muddy washed out dullness in Eren’s eyes. The assistant’s fingers pulled away leaving Levi cold, frustrated with himself and pained. Pausing briefly, Eren spoke up again, a hint of desperation amongst the tiredness laced into his ragged voice.

“Levi..you need to choose.”

Eren’s fingers trembled around the bottle in his hand as his throat tightened, unable to keep the seed of hope within him from sprouting the slightest bit. All their memories, heartfelt conversations and jokes..it must have meant something, right..? In the end, Eren was not someone to be swayed from what he wanted. And he wanted Levi all to himself or he had to let go.

“Petra or me?”

Grey irises dilated at the question as pale eyelids pulled back, stunned. _Was Eren giving Levi an ultimatum?_ Levi’s chest was tight with yearning for Eren, heart knocking loudly in his ribcage as the voices in the back of his head screamed at him to say yes. _Say yes! Say it! Say yes to a life together with his fiery, ocean eyed assistant.._

Eren stared desperately at Levi, knowing he shouldn’t have given an engaged man a second chance in the first place..but it was Levi. To him, Levi was the one. Someone that made Eren go to even more reckless extents than his usual whims but also elevated him past walls of potential and success he never thought he’d pass. Eren’s eyes were big as Levi stared into the sea luring him in like a siren. To dive in and never come out and drown in Eren. Deep down, Levi knew he wanted it too. To be stuck in those bright teals. He watched as confliction crossed over his boss’ eyes, grey eyes tense with internal discord as Levi couldn’t seem to choose.

Eren didn’t wait long. He couldn't. The hesitance from the love of his life was already enough to tell him what mattered. Gritting his teeth, a soft choked gasp escaped Eren’s lips as his eyebrows turned up in despair. He then slowly turned back to the television screen, staring at the man and woman eloping on grainy film. At that moment, Levi already knew he lost his chance.

Eren mentally laughed at himself. Maybe Levi was right after all that day. True love..it wasn’t real. And even if it was, it clearly wasn’t meant for Eren. The assistant felt small, head throbbing as he felt absolutely worthless. He was clearly not enough for Levi. The assistant whispered tiredly to the older male. 

“..sign my transfer papers. I can’t look at you without my heart breaking right now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck. This was a big ass chapter to write regarding plot.
> 
> We've also hit 310+ kudos and 6900+ hits. Thank you to my readers who are following along and those who are new. I appreciate each one of you and enjoy hearing your thoughts.


	23. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with yet another chapter and it revolves around the shitty magic of friendship and all that crap.  
> Hope you all enjoy.

**Chapter 23**

_Levi’s POV_

It had been two weeks since Levi had last seen Eren. Despite everybody’s curiosity upon their boss’ return, nobody dared to directly question him about what happened after catching a single glimpse of his face. The older male practically had a dark cloud looming over himself, clearly in a horrible mood. He walked into his office and didn’t come back out for the rest of the day. Through other means (Armin), Levi’s team was able to find out for themselves that Eren was not coming back. At least not to their team. Although a bit taken aback at how much more stressed out Levi was over the change, they all tacked it up to the reason being that the suicidal brat left a big hole to fill when it came to work and assistant duties.

Eventually, Eren did show up to work, Levi only catching a split second of blurred brown hair in the hallway as its owner made his way to Erwin’s office. The older man’s lips pressed together. Chest tight as he refused to be rash, Levi turned the other way and back to his office before he could act on the small irrational feelings in the corner of his mind. The office felt empty without his ocean eyed assistant livening up the place. There were no more sounds of Eren’s pointless bickering with Jean or spontaneous, stupid jokes with Sasha and Connie. Although everybody adjusted, they all knew it felt like something was missing when Eren left. Little did the team know, Levi was the one who felt this more than all of them.

And so the raven haired male sat alone at his desk, frowning and scowling at his papers as the neighboring chair now remained empty. Trying too hard to immerse himself in his work instead, Levi stared hard at the papers, realizing a subsection was screwed up. 

“Eren, I need th-”

The words slipped out of his mouth before he even realized it, body going still once his eyes lifted from the paper and stared at the empty chair. Jaw clenching, pale fingers tightened around the papers as he stared at the chair. Levi was not a man of regrets but he feared it was a feeling he was starting to gain ever since that day he briskly stormed out of Eren’s apartment, frustrated with himself and the whole situation.

“..Mr. Ackerman?”

A knock echoed softly throughout the room as Levi glanced up to see Armin at the door speaking up softly. He held more forms for Levi. The blond glanced at where Levi’s eyes were previously, a small sympathetic smile on his face forming. Eren’s boss frowned, unfond of the fact that Armin caught him off guard in a slightly vulnerable state.

“So no new assistant yet?”

Asking in a courteous tone, Armin walked forward and began sorting the files in his hand to give the proper ones to Levi. The older male stared hard at Eren’s former desk before speaking up bitterly.

“...I don’t need a new one.”

The teenager looked up from the papers in his hand, sheepishly smiling before he began placing the correct forms down in front of Levi.

“..you know, you haven’t signed Eren’s transfer papers yet. He can do without them for now since we are in the ‘training’ stage but he’ll need them for an official move.”

Speaking up in a matter of fact tone, Armin shot Levi the same look a knowing mother would as Levi’s face darkened at the given information. Erwin’s assistant seemed to be prolonging his stay a bit longer than usual. The shorter male took notice in that, refusing the other’s silent request to talk about matters as he snatched the new papers off his desk. Watching the raven haired male continue to ignore him, Armin then let out a small sigh before readjusting the remaining forms in his hand.

“..I know it isn’t my business and to be honest..you are a bit difficult to approach, Mr. Ackerman. But this is my best friend on the line here..”

Jaw clenched, Levi didn’t cut off Armin as the blond spoke up warily, tone kept down for privacy despite the door already being closed.

“...I had to watch him get all ready in a suit and work himself up just to let you know how he felt. If you’re close enough to him like I suspect, you know how he feels about suits..but he wanted to look his best for you. Bought a huge bouquet of red roses and everything.”

Armin laughed nervously as Levi’s chest tightened, face expressionless. He felt like his heart was getting walloped despite his feigned composure. But Armin knew better. Sky blue eyes glanced down at Levi’s hands whose fingers were crushing the papers, knuckles whitened at the information. He pretended to not notice, continuing on with his speel.

“..what I wanted to know at least, if you could spare me a single detail, is if you ever saw in Eren even an increment of what he saw in you.”

Now that was a very sneaky way of putting it. Levi let out a small scoff at the question.

“...I think you know the answer to that, blondi-”

“Actually, no, I don’t.”

Armin gently cut off Levi, gaze firm as he refused to back down for once even under the pointed look Levi shot him for getting disrupted.

“I know Eren jokes about me being a genius and it might be true that I am more smart than some people..but even I can’t figure out how you feel about Eren..”

Trailing off, Armin then cleared his throat before turning and heading to the door. Glancing back at Levi, he then shot him one last sentence.

“..I think what I said speaks more volumes than ever now that you realize even I can’t tell..but maybe that was exactly what you were going for.”

Opening the door, Erwin’s assistant spoke up in a soft voice, words still able to stab through Levi despite the soothing tone.

“Eren has been recovering. But only on the outside..and I can’t fix him even as his best friend. Even his work days still aren’t consistent. Maybe you should take time to self reflect if you care about Eren in the slightest like I suspect you do...Good day, Mr. Ackerman.”

Left unable to respond, stiff grey eyes watched Armin’s figure disappear between a door. It closed once again, leaving Levi alone in his office, cold and silent without the usual warm sound of Eren’s voice. The quiet was usually a comfort to Levi. He would always relish it and preferred it over any other set up. But now it only left him cold and bitter at himself, missing a touch and a certain pair of emerald eyes he didn’t know he had craved to this extent.

Now, Eren hated him. Levi was the root of Eren’s resentment and it broke the older man more knowing the other still vocally loved him after all that had occured. Levi was usually a rational, composed person. If anything, he was the most so in comparison to those around him. Yet, he couldn’t bring his hand to sign those transfer papers. It was immature of Levi to keep Eren from going. He knew that. But Levi couldn’t help the searing realization of signing Eren away from him everytime he lifted a pen to those forms, unable to press the ink tip to the sheets. Staring at the drawer where he had shoved the those forms into the very back, the crease between his eyebrows deepened even more. He turned back to the papers Armin gave him, silently continuing to work. As composed as he seemed on the outside, he felt jumbled and fucked up internally. Levi needed to work through his emotions.

\-----

_Jean’s/Eren’s POV_

“Hey.”

Looking up at the sound of a familiar voice, tired turquoise irises met earthy browns. The corners of Eren’s mouth turned up, the smile not quite reaching his eyes as he waved half heartedly at Jean. His coworker stood there, leaning against the frame of Eren’s new cubicle. He held up a brown paper bag.

“Thought we could grab a bite earlier. Haven’t seen your annoying mug around lately.”

A dry scoff left Eren’s lips. He let the papers slip from his fingers back onto the desk before turning his chair to face his friend. Jean raised an eyebrow, shaking the bag as he gave Eren a look of expectation for company. Although Kirschtein didn’t live with the other, he would have to be blind as a bat to not see how much Eren was _not_ doing well.

“Come on, man. Don’t tell me no to the free lunch I just got you.”

With one last verbal push from Jean, Eren scoffed before slowly standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets with a sigh.

“Alright, alright, I’m going, Seabiscuit.”

Giving Eren a stink eye for the addressment, Eren’s friend then walked out with Eren following behind him. After making a turn away from the break room, the long haired male frowned.

“Jean, I don’t know if you’re getting overworked but the break room is tha-”

“I know, dumbass. Just thought we could eat outside this time.”

Eren went silent, unsure by Jean’s intentions as he followed after him outside. His head was killing him but he came into work today, despite Armin’s insistence that he would be able to cover for Eren still if he needed it. However, the last thing Eren wanted to be was extra baggage or a burden. It seemed that as much as he insisted everything was fine, everybody else at the office could tell something was up with him. Even _Nifa_ did a glance over of Eren, frowning before asking under her breath if he was alright. Having Hanji’s worker, Nifa, of all people asking him if he was doing okay was a bit alarming. He was almost tempted to pinch himself just to make sure he was still conscious and didn’t pass out on the way to delivering Hanji’s team their supplies.

A cool gust of air blew into Eren’s face as Jean opened the glass door, his friend stepping outside after him onto the side patio. Eren rubbed at his eyes, thrown off by the sudden sunlight glaring at him as Jean glanced at him from the side. If it already looked bad inside the building, Eren looked a lot worse for wear in plain daylight. Jean’s coworker had eyebags that began to rival Levi’s (which Jean would have thought impossible) and his button up shirt was wrinkled on top of the fact that Eren wasn’t even wearing the same socks on each foot.

Plopping down, Jean jammed his hand into the bag as Eren sat down next to him on the curbside. It was always a habit they stuck to as friends since the beginning, sitting on the cement step up outside work instead of the actual chairs and tables. Levi’s team altogether were always good friends but Jean and Eren had both silently agreed the two of them got along better as a pair like Connie and Sasha did to each other and there was nothing wrong with that. Despite their closeness, neither of them were ever the type to really talk about feelings or any therapeutic type of shit. Which is why Jean was now at a loss, constantly sneaking looks at Eren as the brunette lazily chewed on the sandwich Jean handed him. Despite it being his favorite from the place his friend stopped at, it just tasted like nothing to Eren with a cardboard texture as he mechanically chewed to feign being alright. Getting irked by the other’s not so discrete looks, he scowled before turning to Jean and throwing a hand in the air.

“What the heck is it, Jean? Do you want my sandwich like Sasha or something?”

Hissing out without genuine venom, Jean’s friend glared at him as Jean glared back, throwing a napkin at Eren’s head.

“What do you think, _genius_ ? It’s obvious something is wrong with you! You even left our _team_ , dude!”

Eyes suddenly flicking over with confliction, Eren slightly withered from the point outs before turning back to his sandwich. Staring at the food, he gritted his teeth before looking away.

“...you wouldn’t understand.”

Creasing his brows, Jean looked at Eren with a bewildered, annoyed expression. Leave it to Eren to be a drama queen regardless of the years. But being the bigger person, Jean closed his eyes, sharply exhaling through his nose as he mentally kept himself as calm as possible before speaking up.

“..try me.”

Jean noticed the way his friend’s shoulders tensed as Eren looked the other way, refusing to make eye contact with his coworker. Throwing the other half of his sandwich back in the bag, Jean then rubbed his temples, feeling exasperated as he kept himself behaving as mature as possible. It was more of the norm for the two of them to banter constantly but it also was more of the norm for Eren to not be falling apart..well, at least not like this. This was a new level of fucked up and Jean couldn’t help but feel a bit hurt that the other was having such a hard time telling him what was up. Although they had only recently begun working together and seeing each other more often, the two of them were friends since highschool and that had never changed. Despite feeling awkward, Eren’s friend still persisted, speaking up in an unsure tone.

“Oi..you know no matter what..we’ll be good friends, right idiot?”

Hastily muttering, Jean had a slightly concerned look on his face as he stared at the back of Eren’s head. Eren was deafeningly silent now, almost as if he was frozen. Slowly, he turned back to face Jean, lips pressed together into a thin line as the worker looked openly devastated with sad teal eyes. Jean was left speechless, unsure of what to say as the other looked back out in front of him at the sky.

Eventually, the fiery man’s shoulders began trembling as he parted his lips but nothing came out. Closing and opening his mouth again, Eren seemed to be stuck right before the words could come out of his mouth. Jean had never seen his friend look scared like this before. It was concerning and left him feeling unsettled. Hastily lifting his hand, Jean clapped it down on Eren’s shoulder, earning a startled jolt from his coworker before Eren turned toward him with a slightly taken aback expression. Staring back at him was Jean with a reassuring look, nodding firmly as he supported Eren to say what was on his mind.

“Jean..I..I’m gay.”

Eren’s friend could only stare back at him blankly, slowly blinking as he registered the words. Eventually, an alarmed look came across his face. Jean looked terrified…

...and pointed at himself.

“For me!?”

Jean’s look of horror was met with Eren making the exact same expression, disgust coming over his face as he smacked the other’s hand away and yelled back.

“ _What the fuck-”_

“Eren..you know I love you man but not like tha-”

 _“_ NO, you dumbass! I’m not fucking gay for _you!_ ”

The two bickered back and forth as Eren retorted, repulsion on his face as his lips as he smacked Jean on the head.

“Ow- what the hell!?”

“Stop complaining, _Jeanbo._ Not like there’s anything in there anyways.”

“ _Hah,_ don’t worry. I got some good thoughts of your sister right up in here actually.”

Throwing Jean a withering glare, Eren’s friend fell silent, scowling at the wall instead. Slowly processing their conversation, the duo fell into a companionable silence as Eren let out a shaky breath. Their endearing quarrel had been done with and Eren eventually spoke up again softly.

“..so..you’re not repulsed or anything?”

Shooting Eren a look, Jean looked away before rolling his eyes.

“..I kind of can’t be even if I wanted to- _which I don’t._ By the way. Just saying in case.”

Eren made a face, clearly confused as he stared hard at Jean.

“What’s that supposed to mean??”

Sightly hesitating, the two tone haired male spoke up while he began fumbling with his fingers.

“I- uh- kind of have something going on..with Marco.”

“Wha-!?”

Yelling out with widened eyes, Eren was quickly shut up as Jean clamped his hand over his friend’s face, glaring at him.

“ _Shush, man!_ It’s a secret, alright!? We’re still on the fence about it..geez..”

Eren stared at Jean, dumbfounded as he realized Kirschtein was flushing the slightest bit.

“Wait..but all the comments about my sister?”

“Dude, I have no clue, okay? I think I’m..bisexual or whatever.”

This whole time, Eren was afraid of being shunned for being gay when Jean was literally messing around with another dude!? _What the hell!_ Before Eren could even consider messing with Jean on the subject, Jean spoke up again in a warning tone.

“Look man- we can talk about this..later..or never even. But I dragged us out here and bought us lunch cause I want to know what the fuck has been up with _you._ It wasn’t just that you were worried about like..coming out or anything, is it?”

As Jean pulled his hand away from Eren’s face, Eren remembered the cause of all his despair this week. Frame growing small, he looked down at the ground with a hint of sadness.

“..I can trust you, right horse face?”

Frowning at the nickname once again, Jean snorted before waving the other off.

“What do you take me for? Obviously.”

Looking around, the brown haired male eventually looked back up, biting on his bottom lip as he stared ahead. The mood suddenly grew heavier as any leftover amusement from before left Jean’s face at the sight of his coworker’s eyes watering. He watched silently as Eren ran his hands through his hair before holding onto his head and letting out a weighted sigh.

“I..I had to transfer. I got myself involved physically..with Levi..”

“Woah, woah _Levi!?_ As in Levi, our ruthless, icy _boss._ ”

Eren shot his friend a silent annoyed look, confirming his cowowrker’s questioning. Slowly processing it, Jean scoffed in disbelief.

“..I thought the dude was engaged? Not to mention straight? Then again..I thought I was straight too..”

A dry laugh escaped the assistant’s lips before he shook his head wearily. If he were in Jean’s place, he’d sure as hell be confused too.

“He told me he wasn’t taken...and I kind of even thought we could have been- I don’t know- official. Uh..but then I kind of saw him with Petra and..obviously he was actually engaged after all. So that was just me being an idiot this whole time haha..”

Trailing off with a strained smile, Eren laughed again as Jean looked at him with concern, the fake grin quickly slipping off his face. His throat felt tight, eyes already brimming with tears. Any other day, he probably would be embarrassed to cry in front of Jean like this. Hell, he probably will be after today but the long haired male couldn’t bring himself to stay composed even if he wanted to. A choked sob left his mouth as he buried his face in his hands, palms digging into his tightly squeezed eyelids. Concerned, Jean awkwardly patted him on the back.

“Look man...I think you should call off the rest of today. I mean, props to you for even coming in when you don’t even got your shit together but you’re gonna do more damage than repair if you keep going like this, you suicidal idiot.”

Sniffling roughly, Eren weakly nodded before forcefully wiping at his eyes.

“Fuck, you’re right..I gotta..I gotta go somewhere else to cool off.”

Nodding back slowly, Jean quietly agreed before standing up and picking up the brown paper bag with their leftovers. Walking in front of Eren, he held a hand up, looking away with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Hurry up..let’s go before someone comes out here and thinks we're having some weird bromance.”

Laughing quietly, Eren rolled his eyes again before slapping his hand into Jean’s and letting his friend pull him up onto his feet. Moments like these were rare but despite the awkwardness, the roughed up male appreciated his friendship with horse face.

But now, he just needed to follow Jean’s advice. To take time to sort things out and go back to the closest place he could call home now.

\-----

_Levi’s POV_

It was now lunch break and Levi didn’t bother to lift a finger to leave, immersing himself into his work as always, except this time with more force. Usually, he didn’t even have to pull a single muscle trying. The door banged open, Levi whipping his head up. A spontaneous hope bit at him only to be disappointed when the wrong mop of brown hair came walking in with Erwin trailing behind her.

“Yoohoo! Salutations, my grumpy munchkin, it’s LUNCH BREAK!”

Yelling out lunch break at an even louder volume, Hanji grinned like a madman, giving her callous friend a reassuring look. Their CEO lifted a shiny black card, raising his thick eyebrows as he shot Levi a look. The previous hopeful look on Levi’s face as it was brought down with disappointment didn’t go unnoticed by the CEO. Nevertheless, he decided not to question Levi about it. Not just yet, at least.

“Lunch. I’ll treat us this time.”

The two stared at him firmly, ready to badger the shorter male into oblivion as Levi narrowed his eyes at them, dark circles more prominent than usual. He wasn’t an idiot, he was well aware Erwin and Hanji knew something had been off with him. This was their way of not so sneakily trying to get a crack at him. Waving the card again, Erwin cleared his throat with a charming smile as his subordinate tiredly frowned at him. A long pause came over them as Hanji balled her hands into fists under her chin, ready to screech once more. As she opened her mouth, Levi staggered up to stand, slowly grabbing his outer jacket before flinging it over his shoulders and walking past his friends.

“...where are we going?”

The two stood there temporarily stunned as the smaller male passed them. Asking Levi to lunch before had never been so easy. Honestly, it was a bit unsettling. The two looked at each other before staring at the back of Levi’s undercut. Despite not having to deal with the struggle, it only made Hanji and Erwin more concerned at how passive Levi had become. On top of that, the other seemed more worn out than usual if even possible.

“We were thinking about Niccolo's!”

Speaking up cheerfully, Hanji grinned. She clasped her hands together, walking forward, only to bump right into Levi who came to an abrupt stop.

“Levi..?”

“Nothing. I zoned out for a bit.”

Stating gruffly, the raven haired male continued walking ahead, roughly tugging his outer jacket into place as Hanji looked behind herself at Erwin who only shook his head. With that, the three made their way to eat together outside during a lunch break for the first time in a while.

\-----

“Levi, you haven’t taken a single sip of your soup.”

Speaking up clearly, Erwin looked down at the shorter male’s plate before glancing back up at his friend with observant blue eyes. They were all seated at the restaurant and were long past receiving their food. Levi only ordered a small dish of soup along with his tea to get his friends off his back. Hanji and Erwin had begun talking as usual, hoping Levi would join in eventually as they threw small glances at him. Usually, the grumpy individual would have noticed and snapped at them but Levi remained zoned out, staring at his reflection in the crimson tomato soup, exhausted weary grey eyes staring back at him with mild irritated resignation. Hanji dabbed her mouth with her cloth napkin before letting out a huff as she frowned at the dreary state of her best friend. Lifting her ass from her seat, she then held out a hand and began waving it in front of Levi’s face.

“Helloooooo, earth to shortstack! Is he in there right now!?”

As the taller female asked loudly and obnoxiously, Levi remained unmoving despite the female’s chastising. Casting a worried look at Erwin, Hanji then hesitated. She could tell Erwin was a bit silent too. They both had never seen Levi so off his game. Slowly sitting back down in her seat, Hanji placed her hands on the table before speaking up slowly.

“...Levi..what’s wrong?”

Hearing those three words, the smaller man’s shoulders twitched. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, remembering the way Eren asked him that very same line. How those soothing low timbres made his head go fuzzy and chest tight.

Pale fingers tightened around the silver spoon in his hand. Levi made a face of utter regret into the pool of red before him, unable to have an appetite. It hurt. A lot. And Levi couldn’t pretend anymore.

“...I think I’m in love with Eren.”

The table was dead silent, the background noise of other customers unable to soften the tense environment at the table after Levi uttered those words in a quiet, low voice. But Hanji and Erwin were more than able to hear his confession. Brown eyes widening, the four eyed female let her jaw drop as Erwin could only blink in surprise, both staring at Levi in absolute stupefaction. It was then that Levi finally moved, looking intensely at Erwin. Grey eyes pierced cobalt blue with an affirmative intensity. The blond simply looked back at him, now recovered as his face was void of an off guard expression. Although charming, Erwin was still a devil in his own ways. His charisma was simply a tool for self benefit and he was just as capable as Levi to throw one off. The only difference was that while Levi was unable to be read well, Erwin had the skill to effectively deceive one completely with his acting. Levi’s boss stared back at him, silently calculating his next moves while Levi stared right back at him, the hostility never leaving his eyes. Levi knew just what he was getting himself into when admitting such a thing.

“...Petra.”

Erwin spoke heavily, that single name caused Levi to go stiff, jaw clenching as he thinned his lips. Erwin continued, fully aware of the weight of his words and utilizing them to the most.

“We talked about this Levi.”

Teeth gritted, the shorter male spoke between them as his gaze remained glaring at his superior. He had to do this. Fuck, he _was_ already doing it.

‘We did and now were going to fucking talk about this again.”

Hanji was still in shock, processing her comrade’s words before looking back and forth between Erwin and Levi with slight concern. The mood was on edge and intense, making it almost hard to breath as the two silently sized each other up. Although she was more than going to badger Levi about the whole situation, Hanji set it aside for later to deal with the situation in the current moment.

“Erwin..”

Speaking up in a strained voice, Hanji made a face as she looked sympathetically over at Levi before turning back to the CEO of their company.

“I think Levi has to put a stop to this...”

Alluding to the situation, Hanji looked at the blond. Erwin turned to fix her with a look, observant eyes now on her as he remained silent and thinking. Levi didn’t waste a beat, his own intentions slowly getting more grounded into him with determination as he spoke up in a low growl.

“Erwin. You know I have always respected the hell out of your ass. But I can’t..I don’t want to do this shit anymore. I need you to tell Petra for me.”

“Levi..do you understand the consequences of what you are saying?”

“Yes and I damn well _also_ understand the consequences of continuing without Eren.”

Hissing out in a threatening growl, Levi glared at Erwin from between sparse black strands, unable to properly compose himself for once. Maybe he _was_ on the fence and maybe this downfall and time apart from Eren had been a wake up call for him but regardless, it was loud and in his face. He couldn’t pretend to act unfazed without the loud, insufferably charming brat. Eren was nothing he had ever had before. Like hot fire, melting Levi’s exterior until he became vulnerable without even realizing it until it was too late.

So yes. Levi fucking finally admitted it to himself. He craved Eren as much as Eren craved him. It was just harder for him to say that. Harder for him to show that and he regretted it so badly now.

“...you made a promise to Petra. For better or worse.”

At Erwin’s words, Levi momentarily faltered once again. His jaw clenched with an intensity behind his eyes except hesitance had now made its way in. Body slowly being worn down into a tiredness, the older male sat there, slightly slumped as he looked down at the table. Although the smaller man’s uncharacteristic lashing had surprised his friends, it did not last long as the raven haired male was forced to contemplate the promise he made to Petra. The reason why he had to walk out on Eren in his apartment that day. The reason why he couldn’t tell Eren he possibly had affections for him despite how insufferable he was. Going quiet, Levi felt a bitterness yank at his chest as he despised the world and the situation he was placed in once again.

Of course he promised to be with Petra. It wasn’t like he was expecting a charming, tall brat of an assistant to make him fall hard let alone even experience romantic feelings. For the first and now last time, Levi felt a hot stir in his heart that even he himself couldn’t help but greedily latch onto.

Hanji watched with sad eyes as Levi shrunk down, looking as empty as he did at the start of lunch. Looking at Erwin in desperation, the blond finally let a small part of his mask slip, sighing as he threw a look back at Hanji with pursed lips. He knew what the crazy individual was wanting to do despite the already chaotic situation. Seeing Levi have feelings for somebody like this had also stirred something in Erwin himself even. A pause came over the trio once again before Erwin casually set his fork and knife down and clasped his hands.

“..Levi.”

“..the fuck is it?”

“This..thing with Eren. You had told me there was nothing but here you are, hissing at me like a child to tell Petra for you that you want to end this. For your assistant who is also a man and fifteen years your junior.-”

“Hey now, Erwin..”

Speaking up hastily, Hanji grimaced but Erwin ignored her and persisted with his blunt speech.

“-But despite that, you want to pursue something with Eren Jaeger when he could be much better off with a more socially acceptable partner? Just a few months ago, I had thought you to not even be interested in another let alone a _man_. You know I’m accepting, Levi, but I’m also being realistic here.”

Tensing up, Levi didn’t know what to say. Would could he say? Everything Erwin said was true. Eren and him were not the most “ideal” looking couple to grace this fucking planet. As the older male felt himself plummet into more bitterness, his mind automatically went back to his assistant, cooped up and worn out in that apartment by himself. Those heart wrenching words invaded his mind, Eren’s voice making his breath stifle at the mere remembrance of it.

‘You don’t _understand_..it can only be you for me.’

Remembering Eren’s desperation, Levi’s chest clenched at the fact that back then he just stood there, letting the ocean spill right out of Eren’s eyes as his assistant said those words. Those pretty ocean eyes he loved so much. Eren practically bared himself to Levi and all the older man could do was fucking stand there, unable to show Eren how he felt back. His assistant was probably struggling to pick up the pieces of himself that Levi let shatter as the older man sat there, enjoying his fucking meal with his friends as if nothing was wrong in the world. As if this outcome was what Levi wanted.

But it wasn’t. Levi felt miserable without the brat.

That was enough for everything to be wrong in the world.

“I do.”

Levi responded firmly. The table went silent once more as Erwin scanned Levi, thinking hard on the situation. Suddenly, a hand was placed on Levi’s and he looked up to see Hanji smiling sadly at him.

“You know, grumpy pants..I always thought if you were ever to marry, you should marry somebody you love.”

Hanji looked deep into his eyes, searching through dark greys intently as she whispered tenderly.

“Do you _really_ love Eren?”

Breath stuttering at the question, Levi could only stare back, gaze boring into Hanji as he thought over the question hard. He wasn’t surprised that it didn’t take much time to come to his answer. But his response wasn’t for Hanji nor Erwin. It was for somebody else who he needed to mend things over with. He wanted to save those words for the right person. And so, he answered with the next best thing.

“I can’t live without him.”

Hanji let out a small breath of awe as Erwin pursed his lips, still deep in thought. Despite the other’s exterior, the blond knew what he was witnessing was a revelling developmental change in his friend. It was only unfortunate that it happened to surface now out of all times. In the end, this wasn’t a life threatening situation. At least, not literally. Therefore, the taller man let out a sharp exhale through his nose before casting a small smile at Levi.

“..you’ve done enough, Levi. I appreciate that you came to us about this first before doing anything irrational.”

Eyes slightly widening at his boss, grey eyes seemed to have a liveliness lurking back into them as the shorter male dropped his head slightly, a small smile tugging on the corner of his mouth.

“It was the least I could do after all these god forsaken years stuck with you two.”

A wide smile spread on Hanji’s face. Erwin let out a small snort of amusement at the other’s satire before casting Levi a knowing look.

“...you want to get out of here already, don’t you?"

With that, Levi scoffed before quickly standing up.

“God, more than ever.”

Blood rushing to his head, he yanked his outer jacket from the back of the chair and forcefully shook off the exhaustion he had felt. Hanji was practically bouncing in her seat. She grinned before waving crazily at her friend and crying out enthusiastically.

“Go get your man, lover boy! You better succeed and let us properly conversate with him next time..I want _all_ the juicy details!!”

Rolling his eyes, Levi waved off the two with a small smirk before beginning to rush back to Survey Corps. Determination and a new rush of adrenaline was now coursing in him. Maybe it wasn’t going to be easy but he’d be damned if he didn’t get what he wanted and what he wanted was Eren shitting Jaeger if the man would still accept him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end of this story. I originally had another one lined up. I continued off of an old work but after getting through a significant amount, I found that I was not satisfied at all with the way I have written it. Therefore, I am starting anew and trying to get a headstart on another story before I start publishing it. Ideally, I'd have it in time in two weeks to begin right after the completion of this one.
> 
> This story will be a lot more fast paced in comparison to Bottoms Up and will have riren dynamic instead of ereri regarding the NSFW portion. However, it will likely be shorter than this story as I have literally started just now.
> 
> I am still "new" to the AO3 ereri/riren fandom since I just returned. Therefore, my following is near nonexistent. However, I have set up a writing commissions page if people ever like my writing enough to want a commission from me. I don't expect people to request them anytime soon as I have *just* gotten back into writing publicly on AO3 but I have set the prices fairly low. It is on my carrd.co if anybody would ever want to check out of interest or mere curiosity. I will likely advertise it again at the end of this story. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have or contact me.
> 
> [carrd.co link](https://wingsofcorporal.carrd.co/)
> 
> Here is my [commission information.](https://wingsofcorporal.carrd.co/#commissions)


	24. Paradis(e)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit. We're already nearing the end.  
> I hope you enjoy the second to last chapter of Bottoms Up.  
> I didn't realize that two thirds of my fucking story had the sentences social distancing from each other with all the line breaks. I went back and fixed it all up.  
> Thank you for 370 kudos and 8200+hits.  
> Hope you enjoy.

_Levi’s POV_

Practically running back to the company building, Levi ignored all the weird looks he was receiving from passerby as he snaked past them. It must have been odd to see a fully grown man in a suit running down the sidewalk like a child but the older man couldn’t have cared less. What he needed right now was to tell Eren everything. Especially how he really felt. Eren deserved to know that at the very least, regardless of Levi’s fears. He needed to tell Eren how he made his once deadbeat heart pound louder than drums. How Eren made his cheeks heat up faster than an oven. How each touch Eren left behind made Levi understand exactly what all those cheesy rom-coms were going on about. He _needed_ Eren to know, regardless of their ending because Eren _deserved_ his honesty at the very least.

Despite his current circumstances, there was somewhat truth in the fact that Levi was a little scared before about pursuing a relationship with another man. But then he received a harsh reminder of how it felt to be left empty—to be left without Eren. How there was the smallest chance Eren possibly still felt the same emptiness without him like Levi did. Now, he remembered that playing it safe wasn’t always the best way to live. Especially, when it comes to getting what you want. Eren always put himself on the line for Levi and now he had to do the same even if it was too late. But shit, he hoped to god it wasn’t..

Breathing hard as he got through the doors of the company building, the receptionists glanced at him, slightly surprised, before quickly looking back down and minding their own business. Levi simply walked fast past them, intent on getting to Erwin’s branch and finding Eren.

After using the elevator, he rounded the corner only to bump into Jean who was caught off guard. The employee almost dropped his files before being able to grab them in time and letting out a relieved sigh. Looking back up to who he collided with, the young man’s face seemed to pale as he made eye contact with Levi. His boss raised a brow at the other’s peculiar reaction, breath still coming out with more force than normal from running.

“..Kirchstein.”

“Oh-uh- hi..hi, Mr. Ackerman..!”

Making a weirded out face at Jean, Levi shook his head before continuing to walk, only to be stopped by his employee speaking up again warily.

“..uh..”

Turning around, the shorter male then furrowed his brows. Jean seemed to slightly fidget, struggling to speak. Not having much patience for whatever was going on, Levi spoke up sharply.

“What the hell is it, Kirschtein? I’m in a rush right now.”

“..in a rush to Erwin’s offices?”

Asking questionably, Jean stared back at Levi, slightly wary of his boss still but holding his ground. It had only been an hour since he had lunch with Eren. Although he respected Levi’s abilities, Jean still was there for Eren in the end and he wasn’t going to not question what his boss was doing heading over to his friend’s supposed new area. Annoyed, Levi narrowed his eyes before speaking up coldly.

“ _Obviously_ , horse boy. I need to take care of things-”

“Look..is this about..Eren?”

Stiffening at the other’s question, Levi turned back around to face Jean.

“Why do you ask?”

Jean sighed before speaking up.

“...Sir, with all due respect- I..I think you should stop messing with my friend’s feelings. He’s been looking and feeling like shit. Just to save you time, he isn’t even in the office- he left an hour ago so..”

Slightly surprised that Jean knew, Levi simply glared at him, face stoic as his unwavering look caused Eren’s friend to wither. Maybe before, Levi would have been absolutely in a frenzy over others knowing but with what he was going to put on the line for Eren anyways, it didn’t matter anymore. Besides, the slight wariness Levi was feeling right now likely couldn’t have even compared to how scared Eren used to be about coming out back then and even now.

Levi sucked a sharp breath in between clenched teeth before pinching the bridge of his nose. He breathed in and out to calm himself before locking eyes with Jean again and speaking up.

“Look. Speaking on non-professional terms, I don’t know how much you know as Eren’s friend but I get that I fucked up. Right now, I’m trying to fix that. It was never my intention to mess with the man I’m in love with and it isn’t currently.”

Jean’s eyes widened in shock at his boss’ blatant admission. Levi only stood there, unregretful of the words he chose to use. Eventually recomposing himself, Jean slowly nodded before mumbling back.

“..Even so, he’s not here anymore.”

“Ok. Where did he say he was going?”

“Honestly, no clue. He just said he was going to the closest place to what he could call home..not that it would help you probably..”

A certain place automatically appeared in Levi’s head.

“..I know where to go. So just let me spill my guts out and get out of the damn pathway before I kick your ass, Kirschtein.”

Despite being slightly scared by his boss, Jean kept his ground until hearing Levi’s intentions. Now that it wasn’t necessary, the employee moved out of the way as Levi rushed past him back to the elevators. Watching the short, grumpy man stare back at him as the elevator doors shut, Jean let out a breath he didn’t know he was keeping in before walking off with a sigh. He had no idea how Eren saw anything remotely romantic with that guy but he sure as hell hoped whatever Levi was doing would work out for the best if he could even find Eren. Jean laughed in disbelief to himself. If Levi knew where to find Eren based off that vague ass sentence then maybe there was hope.

\-----

Levi gripped the wheel tightly, steering it as he kept his eyes focused on the highway stretched out ahead of him. He had just a couple more miles to go but being alone in the silence meant being left with his thoughts to wander as well. Sucking in his breath sharply, he glanced at his rear view mirror before making his way towards the correct exit. He hoped his guess was right- no, it _better_ be right. If it wasn’t, Levi was still determined to keep searching, even if it meant barging in on Eren’s apartment at 3 in the morning.

How the hell did people even do this romance shit? Last time Levi checked, - which was never- you probably did couple stuff like hugging or kissing every other day. But what were you supposed to do in situations where your nonexistent relationship had fallen apart? Where you wanted to reach out and grab somebody but were too scared? To that, the older man had no fucking clue. But it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try in his own ways.

Suddenly, the distant sounds of seagulls could be heard, screeching overhead. A cold gust of salted wind blew through open car windows. Driving on the side, Levi glanced to the right as mounds of green gave away to beautiful, sparkling blue sparkling under a hot white yellow sun beating down on the Bugatti’s roof.

..so this was Eren’s “home”. Or at least that’s what Levi was placing his bets on.

A huge wooden sign with white lettering painted on its surface spelled out “Paradis Beach” in bold capital letters at the entrance of the location. The crowd was sparse but present as a few families and couples were seen loitering around the restaurants and food carts.

If someone had to choose a person to be visiting the beach on a Wednesday afternoon, they would likely not have guessed Levi Ackerman to be that person. But thanks to a certain unnecessarily charming brat, Levi was here and desperate for any signs of him. Paying the ridiculously high parking fee, the raven haired worker grumbled before parking and stepping out of the car. A couple kids ran past him screaming as their grubby hands clutched tightly to neon colored pails and shovels for the sand. Gunmetal irises squinted under the bright sun. Levi glanced at his surroundings, the strong breeze blowing stray strands of his hair back. Since it was the middle of December, the environment was cold, causing his body to feel more frigid despite his ability to withstand freezing temperatures. He glanced around, not seeing Eren’s car anywhere in the lot. His heart began sinking a little in his chest. Nevertheless, he persisted, exiting the lot as squinted eyes went over to the pier. Eren did say something about funnel cakes with his mom..

Making his way up the ramp, Levi had a scowl fixed on his face as his nose was attacked with smells of popcorn and cotton candy, not to mention all the people around him. Thankfully, it was not crowded since it was a Tuesday. He could only imagine how annoying it would have been to come here on holidays, children screaming and highschoolers running around, up to no good, along with loud complaining adults. He glanced around, not seeing any traces of Eren as the occasional person glanced back over at him in curiosity. After all, Levi was in a full suit at the beach by himself looking absolutely crazy while he kept whipping his head around for his assistant.

Walking up to a popcorn cart, he awkwardly shoved his hands in his pocket as the man behind it was shovelling popcorn into a plastic bag. The male had a horrid bowl cut and hooked nose, glancing up at the older man once noticing him. An ash brown haired female with a curly bob sat on some crates, filing at her nails and blowing the stray dust off as her coworker slaved away.

“Yes sir, how can I help you?”

Asking respectfully, the worker stared back at Levi. The businessman glanced down at the employee tag, reading the stranger’s name.

“..Afternoon..Marlo. Have you seen a tall man around here? With greenish blue eyes and long brown hair. Kind of..kind of like the ocean.”

Muttering out the last part, Levi stared off to the side as Marlo paused his task at hand and hesitantly shook his head.

“I’m sorry..I can’t say I have. There’s just so many peopl-”

“Oi, ocean eyes you say?”

A nonchalant purr came from behind the male worker as his colleague was now looking up at Levi with an amused look.

“Well, aren’t you romantic?”

Narrowing his eyes at the female, Levi ignored her mocking comment before speaking up stiffly with crossed arms.

“Is that all you have to say or do you have any remotely useful information, nail lady?”

Clicking her tongue with a huff, the female flipped her hair with a manicured hand before placing it on her hip.

“It’s _Hitch._ But to your likely surprise, I actually think I have seen a gentleman that fits your description. However, he looked a bit roughed up...”

“..you actually noticed something like that when all you do is your nails and hair?”

Muttering on the side, Marlo made a face. Hitch whipped her face towards him and glared, causing the male to fall silent and look away hastily. Once she was satisfied with the other’s conceding, the female then turned back to Levi. Eren’s boss had his full attention on the popcorn stand lady, grey eyes staring intensely as he waited for her to give him direction. He was more impatient than ever after her discretion that Eren wasn’t looking all too good. It made Levi feel bad in all sorts of ways and increasingly desperate to find the teenager. Flushing slightly at the direct eye contact, Hitch grumbled before lifting a hand and pointing behind her.

“He seemed to stagger around here on the pier earlier and sat at a bench just people-watching I guess..but he seemed out of it so I thought he was some homeless meth head. Well, except for the fact that he was dressed decently despite his clothes being wrinkled and stuff. He went down to the beach.”

“..thank you.”

Relief underlying his voice, Levi was about to leave before noticing something red in the corner of his eye. Turning back around, the businessman stared down at a water-filled bucket of single roses by the stand. Hesitating momentarily, Levi slowly bent down and picked the biggest red rose encased in plastic wrapping from the container before digging out his wallet.

“I’ll buy this.”

“Oh-sure. It’s just two bucks.”

Marlo replied with slight surprise as he held out his hand. Slapping a bill into the worker’s palm, Levi quickly turned around before walking out of there fast.

“Sir- wait, this is fifty bucks!?”

“Keep the change as thanks.”

Marlo and Hitch had widened eyes as they glanced down at the bill and back up at Levi’s retreating figure. Letting out an amused snicker to herself, Hitch cupped her hands around her pink lips before hollering out to the company worker.

“I hope you find your man!”

Levi simply scoffed in amusement at the other’s distant yelling before lifting a hand. He waved her off to acknowledge he heard Hitch. Making his way to the edge of the pier, Levi began staring out at the beach spread out before him. Looking from a higher ground would definitely be more convenient than searching below through group after group. After doing nothing but glancing around for five full minutes, Levi began to lose a bit of hope. Maybe that dolled up stand worker had mistaken another man for Eren or even made it up. Teeth clenching, the older man looked down with furrowed eyebrows at the rose in his hand. Suddenly, a small movement caught the corner of his eye. A newspaper fluttered across the beach. Stormy eyes followed after it with disappointment. Well..that would have been too easy he guessed..

However, not far from the fluttering paper, a figure was now collapsed on the sand, bright mismatched socks catching Levi’s attention that weren’t there before. Squinting hard, his breath stuttered as he recognized that familiar head of messily tied up long brown hair.

It was Eren.

 _His_ Eren.

Levi bolted from the pier, running past people who stared after him in shock as he located the stairs and began descending fast. _Quick- He needed to quickly get to Eren before he lost him again..!_

Feet landing on warm sand, Levi’s expensive leather shoes sunk into the ground as the fine particles began slipping into its crevices. He momentarily cringed at the mess already being made but ignored it as he began running across the beach, towards the great blue. Faint cries of birds above were piercing as the sound of a beach ball bouncing flew past his right ear. Levi ignored it all, running towards the area he located Eren in as he began breathing quicker. The sand was getting into his pants and shoes and sinking him in every step as he felt slightly weary from the extra work. Maybe he should’ve had lunch earlier. The beach was huge and despite the cold weather, Levi was working up a heat. His frustration slowly grew as he found his speed to be way too slow. Cussing under his breath, Levi lifted his feet, one after the other as he yanked his expensive shoes and socks off and rolled up his trousers before running again. If Hanji or Erwin were here, they would have probably been laughing their asses off at the fact that Levi was running barefoot across the beach and working up a sweat in his work suit. Seeing long locks of tangled umber, Levi’s little remaining breath was sucked right out of his lungs as he slowly came to a stop at the familiar figure.

Eren sat on the wet sand by the shore, staring out at the ocean blankly with a sad expression. Stray strands of brown undone from his half up hair were caressed forward as they tickled the brunette’s sanded cheeks. Long, slender legs were slightly bent as the white froth of the waves just barely managed to pool up and kiss caramel toes everytime the waves crashed onto the shore. Levi was left speechless at the sight, staring at Eren from the side as he saw tear stains paint that beautiful face. How he wanted to roughly rub them away and tell Eren it was going to be okay..

It didn’t take too long for Eren to notice someone standing to his left, slowly tearing his eyes away from the vast, breathtaking sea. He was prepared to stare down whoever was gawking at him like a pervert and tell them to go fuck off. Brows creased, Eren glared tiredly to his left only for his chest to dangerously pound at a familiar outline. Ocean eyes staring at pale bare feet, a look of slight confusion came over him as deep teal irises slowly trailed up to familiar dark greys. Eren’s eyes widened as he stared at Levi who was out of breath. Shoulders and chest contracted raggedly as the other was trying to catch his breath. Grey eyes were fixed on Eren.

It was Levi. _What was Levi doing here..?_

Levi stood there, wind tacking his splayed ink black hair to his clammy skin. He looked down intensely at Eren, fingers subconsciously tightening as the plastic wrapper from the rose squeaked out in protest. Startled by the noise, Levi glanced down at his hand, remembering what he bought. Eren looked down at the flower as well. A look of hurt sadness flashed over his face at the crimson petals, remembering the bouquet he never got the chance to give to Levi. Noticing this, the older man shifted uncomfortably before opening his mouth but Eren beat him to speaking.

“What is this..are you trying to mock me?”

Laughing bitterly, Eren glared at the rose before meeting Levi’s eyes. Levi faltered, taken aback by the other’s belief before shaking his head with a sigh.

“...No. It’s not like that-”

“Then tell me, Levi. Why are you even here?”

Eren cried out in a hurt, scratchy voice as he went back to staring out at the ocean, clearly pained by the other’s presence. The pain only felt greater after he first noticed Levi. A small inkling of affectionate endearment he couldn’t help pricked at his chest before Eren remembered to smash it back down. His boss looked as good as always in a suit, despite him not wearing shoes. Seeing the slightly rumpled button up and rolled up trousers added a bit of youth to Levi even. Eren didn’t hesitate to speak up again, letting whatever thoughts came to his head spill out of his mouth.

“Did you come here to tell me you signed those papers finally?”

A pang of discomfort at the other’s detestation slashed through Levi as his grip on the rose only tightened. But he knew he more than deserved it. He wasn’t good with words but he needed to say _something_. He needed to fucking say what he came there to say.

“No. I didn’t.”

Eren’s throat tightened at the response. Slight grief and intense annoyance made its way to his head before he scoffed in disbelief. How much more was Levi going to make him suffer!? The younger male had made it clear as day that he was hurting. He just needed to get away from the other but his boss had the audacity to keep him in their department when he had no regard towards Eren’s feelings in the slightest!

Wobbling as he stood up, Eren gritted his teeth with clenched fists before turning to Levi and glaring down at him. _He had enough of this._

“Are you serious? You can’t even give me the time of day to be upfront with me about _us_ but you expect me to work for you like we were nothing. Oh wait- yeah, that’s right! Maybe you don’t even think about that being a problem because for YOU, we were nothing.”

Taking a step closer, Levi remained still as Eren got in his face, leaning slightly down as he stared daggers into the other’s face. The younger male continued, now shoving a finger in the older man’s chest.

“Sorry but _no,_ I’m not staying on your team. Sorry for having fucking feelings or for being humane- I’m so _fucking_ sorry that I can’t recover from this as fast as you because one of us happened to _unfortunately_ fall in love.”

“Eren..”

“NO. Don’t ‘Eren’ me. You don’t have the right to act like messing with me is something you can say a simple sorry for and just move on-”

“EREN.”

Shouting out in an angered voice, Levi’s volume shut the other up momentarily, despite Eren still glaring at him. Levi glared back, lifting his hand and shoving the rose against his assistant’s chest. Eren grabbed it without thinking, now using the plant to further accentuate his hand motions.

“Let me speak-”

“Wow, so now you have something to say. Typical of you-”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly satisfied with the fact that Eren subconsciously accepted the rose, despite the poor flower being choked out in his assistant’s hand now. However, if Eren would just let him fucking _talk._

“Brat, just let me fucking tal-”

“I thought I said not to call me that-”

“Eren-”

“Honestly, I shouldn’t even be talking to you, Levi. What are you even doing here-”

“ERWIN IS MARRYING PETRA!”

Levi bellowed at the top of his lungs, scowling at Eren.

Eren’s voice went silent. His body went slack.

There was only one way to describe the younger male’s face—stupefied. If the situation wasn’t so stressful, Levi would have laughed at the look Eren had.

A single word escaped the younger male’s lips.

“........what?”

Scoffing at Eren’s mumbled confusion, Levi crossed his arms, giving his assistant a look before speaking up at a quieter volume. The wind whipped at their faces as Eren stood there, completely out of it as Levi repeated himself to drill the stupid words into his assistant’s head.

“ _Erwin Smith,_ CEO of our company, is marrying Petra Ral. Not me. _I was a cover_. An employee marrying the head of our company may have sparked some controversy with new clients and partnering CEOs. Some of the old farts can be fucking conservative and old minded like that. We had to throw them off the suspicion that Petra was seeing Erwin since it would look like an unprofessional fling if they aren’t even married yet.”

“But why..?”

“Because, _brat.._ I owe a lot to Erwin. He took me out of the illegal shit I got wrapped up in back in the day. He gave me this job and a proper life unlike my uncle who threw money at me from overseas. If I didn’t meet Erwin, I wouldn’t even afford to be standing here let alone breathing. I wouldn’t have met _you._ Pretending to date Petra was the least I could do in return.”

A couple minutes passed as the assistant processed all the new information thrown at him. _Petra..to Erwin...then Levi..and the engagement.._

Although not exactly enraged, Eren looked slightly miffed at the situation and took a shaky breath before he questioned Levi.

“ _Why_ didn’t you tell me!?”

Levi replied fast and efficiently, not missing a beat as he spoke up. He felt exposed baring his feelings but the older man had learned the regrets of not doing so.

“You were my assistant and we weren’t as close as..as we are now. You can’t trust everybody you meet, Eren. That’s how it works in the adult world. If a _single_ person were to whisper word of this cover up to any of our other companies, we could have lost _stocks_ and _clients upon fucking clients_. Then we got...complicated. I was even more wary about the fact I would possibly be letting my personal feelings cloud my judgement if I chose to tell you. You could have possibly stabbed us in the back and transferred to a rival company with this information.”

Rubbing his temples, Eren looked exhausted as he tried thoroughly processing the information.

“So why tell me now..”

Taking a deep breath,the older man looked deep into ocean eyes. Grey eyes wavered with a vulnerable emotion. Levi spoke up in a barely audible low voice.

“Because...I didn’t want to lose you.”

Lips pressed tightly together, Eren’s heart lurched at how the other’s eyes were on him like that with those vague words. Fingers curling tighter around the rose, the brunette felt like he was getting ahead of himself. The taller male clenched his jaw, expression no longer hopeful as he withered and shook his head. _No..this wasn’t like that..it couldn't have been.._

“Ok....I get it. It is a pain in the ass to try getting a new person to fill the job position. I’ll continue my duty as your assistant..”

Eren smiled tightly at Levi but it came out looking more like a grimace. Grey eyes widened. Wait- no, that wasn’t what Levi was trying to say-

“Just...don’t get close to me anymore, Levi.”

With that, Eren began turning around, taking everything in him to keep the waterworks turning on again as he began to walk the opposite way. Levi’s mouth was parted as he struggled for words, his voice refusing to start up. Fuck! How dense could Eren be!? _This wasn’t what he wanted-_

On instinct, Eren’s boss snatched Eren’s wrist before the other could leave for good. He didn’t even know what he was doing. Levi usually had everything planned out. _Fuck-_

Body stiffening up, the brunette looked behind him warily at Levi.

“Look- I really don’t want to talk right now-”

“But I fucking do.”

Irritation began pricking at Eren as the other replied bluntly, the response sounding entitled. Much to Levi’s dismay, that was not what he was going for. Feelings and emotional words were not the best pairing with Levi Ackerman.

Eren could only scoff in response. _Really?_ Yanking his hand free from Levi’s, a look of anger swept over Eren’s face as he began marching down the shore away from the other.

“ _Well, I don’t._ Whatever you have to say, you can tell me at the office!”

Letting out a huff, a look of disdain painted the assistant’s face as he ran his fingers through his sandy hair. Not a second after, he began hearing footsteps padding their way behind him. _SERIOUSLY!? Couldn’t Levi just take the fucking hint!?_

“Wait-shit..! N..no, I need to talk with you now!”

A hasty voice spoke up in a borderline plea as Eren caught a glimpse of Levi beginning to march after him. Eren was tired and hungry and fucking heartbroken still. He didn’t want to deal with this! Eren began walking faster, practically jogging as he spat back irately.

“I _already_ get it, Levi! I forgive you for the Petra thing- I won’t annoy you anymore so just _leave me alone!”_

“No..!”

“What!?”

Crying out in absolute confusion, Eren shook his head before he began bolting down the shore. Tan feet kicking out sand, the teenager hauled _ass_ across the beach. The younger male's feet slapped against the sand as he dialed up his speed across the shoreline. Ok, this was okay..there was no way Levi was going to-

_What!?_

Glancing behind him, the assistant saw the older male chasing after him. A yell of alarm left Eren’s lips as he was getting run after. _What the hell was Levi doing!?_

Unfortunately for Eren, Levi and him both were well aware that Levi was more than capable of catching up to his assistant. Eventually running out of breath, Eren slowed his pace by a tiny _increment_ but that was of course enough for Levi to catch up to him. Not expecting the brunette to stop so suddenly when Eren realized he was fighting a losing battle, Levi let out a sharp breath of surprise. He couldn’t stop in time. His body completely knocked into Eren, sending the both of them tumbling down sideways into the crashing waves. Frigid cold water slammed into the two men as they became victims to the ocean’s waters.

“ACK-! _Oh god-_ ”

Crying out as he sat upright, Eren began spitting out salt water. The waves were high enough to go up to his torso as he landed on his ass. A sudden wet, tight friction pressed over Eren’s crotch as he let out a yelp of surprise. Levi had fallen on top of him, sitting in his lap. The older man scowled and sat upright, black hair completely covering his eyes.

Levi Ackerman was always put together. Hair styled down to the last strand and shoes polished in every spot. Now, the older man was barefoot and quite frankly a hot mess. A hot mess for Eren.

Grimy salt water dripped down his pale face. Levi was drenched from head to toe as the water sloshed off his hair, dripping onto Eren’s lower chest as the older male cringed at the state he was in. The taller male would have laughed at the other’s state if he wasn’t so terrified right now with the way those grey eyes had locked with turquoise between the wet black strands, glaring at Eren. Before Eren could speak up, Levi fisted both his hands into the assistant’s shirt, jerking him in closer. Eren let out a surprised yelp at the action, face centimeters from Levi’s. It was so close, Eren could _feel_ Levi’s hot pants on his face. The two were soaking wet and shivering their asses off in the middle of the fucking ocean. Levi then yelled at a wide eyed Eren.

“I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU IDIOT.”

Jerking Eren forward, Levi bellowed with tightly squeezed eyes as his chest tightened in fear. The sound of seagulls cried overhead as the wind blew at their drenched figures. The older man began slightly shivering from the cold breeze tickling his skin through the suit. It had no changing effect on the fact that his heart was thundering in his ribcage so loud along with his face being on fire. The ocean waves lapped around them as Eren laid there, not moving an inch, and neither was his boss.

_Levi...was..what..??_

Coming down from his frustration, Levi’s angered expression flickered as exasperation slipped into his face. Jaw tightened, the older man’s voice became hoarse as he continued to exclaim his confession tiredly. Upturned brows and sad grey eyes bore into Eren.

“I’m..I’m in love with you and I’m _sorry_ , okay!? I’m sorry..! I could blame it all on the Petra situation but I admit it- I was also scared about how hard I was falling and I didn’t know what we were supposed to be..! Even if you don't take me back, I _need_ to tell you that you mattered to me- you _still_ matter..! So _fucking_ much..”

Unloading a million words a minute, word vomit began falling out of Levi’s mouth. He spat it out hastily, heavily breathing by the end of it.

“Remember that stupid conversation we had in the car..? I take it back- I understand those dumbass romantic comedies..! I understand how it feels to fall in love because of this _stupidly_ endearing brat of an assistant! My chest feels like it’s going to explode when I see your shitty ocean eyes. My throat feels tight whenever you laugh. My dick gets har-”

“ _Holyshit-_ I get it loud and clear..!”

Quickly yelling out hastily to cut Levi off before he could finish, Eren’s face was burning up red at his boss’ words. Of course, Levi had no filter when graphically saying shit..but Eren still liked that about him. Mouth parting, Eren suddenly couldn’t find his voice. _What did he even say?_

His assistant sat there, dumbstruck and unable to process what he heard properly. It was the most vulnerable Levi had ever been in front of him. Eren’s heart felt like it was about to combust and melt into a gooey hot puddle in his chest. The taller male gawked at Levi as huge emerald irises drilled their stare into the shorter male. Lips tightly pressed together in frustration, Eren’s boss couldn’t handle the other’s silent gawking anymore.

“Oh for god’s sake..”

Getting unnerved by the other’s petrified state and those big turquoise eyes so focused on him, Eren’s boss yanked his assistant in even closer, uncaring if there were a few stray people on the beach staring at them. Anything to get the dumb brat to snap out of it. Or maybe that was just a stupid excuse for what he was secretly wanting to do anyways. At this point, he couldn’t care. It would feel and be right as long as it was Eren.

Smashing cold lips against Eren’s, the slight taste of brine and salt dancing on the assistant’s tongue as Levi kissed him deeply and passionately.

The younger man’s eyes widened before squeezing shut as his eyebrows turned up in satisfaction. Holy shit..Levi had just confessed to loving him and..he was getting kissed!? Wa _s..was Eren dreaming!?_

Eagerly leaning into the kiss, Eren couldn’t bring his head out of the fuzzy heat he was mentally immersed in. He jerked forward, earning a surprised and muffled complaint from Levi as their teeth clacked from Eren’s eagerness. The sun was cast over them as the ocean glared amongst their soaked forms. Levi scoffed to himself. Talk about a cheesy scenario. Eren nipped at the shorter man’s lip affectionately, lips still brushing against each other.

“..I forgive you, Levi.”

Levi’s heart squeezed, eyes feeling hot with relief and an affection that made his chest feel so goddamn tight, it hurt.

_Of course, the two just had to be drenched and kissing like lovesick teenagers in the middle of the ocean._

But the older man wouldn’t have it any other way. Because ironically, being a sopping dirty, sandy mess as wet tan fingers ran needingly through Levi’s inky black undercut was the best he’d ever fucking felt. All because it was Eren right there with him.

The kisses lasted as long as each other could physically endure the lack of oxygen, both men desperate to taste each other. Finally pulling away, Eren let out a heavy gasp as he breathed hard, Levi panting for oxygen as well. Both their cheeks were flushed as grey eyes trailed down to Eren’s wet, swollen lips.

.. _God, why didn’t he kiss Eren like that sooner? Oh yeah- because he was being an idiot._

Or maybe Levi was being an idiot right now, despite given permission from Erwin, for possibly putting their reputations at risk all because of a rambunctious, emotional brat. _His_ rambunctious, emotional brat. But in that moment, Eren’s boss couldn’t bring himself to feel the slightest bit of regret even if he had wanted to. Which he absolutely did not.

“U-um..”

Hearing Eren hesitantly mutter from under him, Levi snapped back to the present, staring back at a slightly embarrassed Eren.

“..you know, we're in the ocean but sorry. I don’t have a sparkling dress on. I’m also not a princess..you know...for your happily ever after.”

 _Huh?_ Face twisting in confusion, Levi paused. It didn’t take long however for the raven haired male to remember the stupid response he gave Eren that day in the car ride. Looking to the left at the sun bobbing above the ocean, Levi stared at the ocean beautifully dancing beneath it in gentle, powerful waves. It was breathtaking..the ocean. Turning back to his assistant, Levi saw the same beauty in those eyes staring back at him amongst sopping brown hair with hesitant affection. A small amused breath left Levi’s lungs before he smacked Eren on the head.

“ _Ow-_ what the- _mmph_!?”

Eren’s cheeks went red as Levi’s lips mashed against his once again, a searing heat making its way throughout the younger male’s body at the other’s sudden forwardness. If Levi didn’t know any better, he’d think smoke was pouring out of Eren’s head at how hot, bothered and hopelessly, sappily in love he looked from the other’s soft thin lips on his. With Eren being on the cusp of practically passing out from being overwhelmed, Levi pulled away once again with a chastising look and growled.

“Fuck the stupid dress-you could be ass naked for all I care- _I just want you._ ”

Blinking owlishly at Levi, Eren felt like he was on cloud nine as his heartbeat went off like gunshots in his ears. It didn’t take long for the biggest, cheek splitting grin possible to form on the his face. He looked up at Levi in his lap, pulling him in as his eyes shone with amused happiness.

Getting affected by the other’s excitement, a slight flush painted Levi’s usually pale face as he felt the other’s hands trembling while clamped tightly around the older man’s waist. Levi could practically _feel_ the adrenaline oozing off of Eren.

“God, you are such a fucking sap, Jaeger.”

Eren could only laugh at the other’s empty complaint. He rested his chin on Levi’s chest and beamed up at him.

“But I’m your fucking sap.”

\-----

“ _For fuck’s sake, slow down, brat..!”_

Levi hissed out shakily as Eren hungrily trailed sloppy, wet kisses down Levi’s neck, the ocean mist still strongly hanging off of their bodies. A trail of strewn wet clothes followed them from the front door. It turned out that the assistant was dropped off at the beach earlier by a certain blond on their break, hence why his boss didn’t see the younger male’s car when desperately searching earlier. The single red rose, despite being drenched and slightly crushed, was brought back and placed in the first vase Eren could find. Now, after a barely legal sped up ride back from Levi, the two had rushed back to the assistant’s apartment, clothes and shoes thrown everywhere. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other, bumping against the walls as they made it to Eren’s bedroom down the hallway.

Levi barely made it into the younger man’s bedroom before Eren had shut the door and had his boss slammed up against it. A shaky cuss left the shorter male’s lips from the rough manhandling as Eren had his knee shoving Levi’s thighs apart. A needy hand shoved his boss’ shirt up as long fingers groped at the pale chest exposed to Eren, running down those perfect, tight abs. Eren could care less if the sky was falling or if the apartment was on fire right now. Not when he was extremely horny, rock hard and desperate to do obscene things to his boss. To do things with the man he loved. He _needed_ Levi.

Levi winced as strong teeth clamped down hard on his throat, Eren sucking and marring up his skin. His assistant’s tongue then ran over the bitemarks he made. A small sense of satisfaction crawled into Eren’s chest at the sight of a breathless, bruised up Levi, enjoying the way his teeth indentations looked on the other’s neck. His boss muttered hastily between ragged breaths as nimble fingers clawed at Eren’s arms.

“E-Eren, you’re leaving marks-”

“I know.”

Eren responded in a low, dominant voice, sending a shiver down Levi’s spine as awkward grey eyes met lustful turquoise ones. His assistant was staring at him like he was a starving canine and his boss was the last scrap of food left. Eren let out a soft laugh before leaning in again, running his tongue over the dark hickeys and bites blooming all over the other’s neck. Levi’s dick twitched needily in response as he shivered. His cock was already half hard for Eren as it strained against his briefs. His assistant then murmured in a teasing tone, his voice dropping an octave lower.

“You’ve been pretty bad, making me think you weren’t interested in me this whole time, Levi..”

Hearing his assistant’s teasing tone in that voice sent a shiver down Levi’s spine. There was an underlying aggression to it that was turning the older male on to no ends and he was shamefully eating it up. Eren leaned in, running his hot, wet tongue along Levi’s ear. The action caused the raven haired male to shiver pleasantly, a barely audible moan leaving him as Eren borderline growled.

“..bad boys need to be _punished_.”

Fuck, did Levi want to be punished for once in his life.

Eren began unceremoniously unbuttoning his boss’ shirt, the raven haired male shuddered as the damp white cloth slipped off his arms. The fabric landed with a soft thud onto the floor, leaving him in his briefs while Eren only had his trousers on. Slightly on edge but aroused, Levi was slowly becoming more exposed by the second. Eren’s fingers made their way back up the others chest, teasingly pinching Levi’s nipple. A surprised yelp left the older male’s lips. Cheeks flushed darkly, Levi roughly clamped a hand over his mouth. His brows furrowed in embarrassed frustration as he glared at Eren. Thank fuck the blinds to Eren’s bedroom were mostly drawn shut, leaving the room dimly lit..otherwise the older male would have died of embarrassment at this point if the other could see him. Eren was simply unfazed, crooning sweet nothings into the flushed man’s ear. Levi just _knew_ the other had a shit eating grin on.

“Damn, Levi..you’re so perfect..”

Rasping into Levi’s ear, the raven haired male couldn’t help but tremble from the hot air blown into the shell of his ear before Eren took it between his teeth. He tugged at it teasingly. If Levi had known just how naturally good his assistant was in the bedroom, he’d have mentally prepared himself a lot more instead of having himself being left a hot, shaking mess.

Soon enough, Eren pulled slightly back, their faces hovering no more than a centimeter apart as those jade green eyes stared into grey. The two stared at each other silently, the sound of their hot weighted breaths filling the air between each other. Eventually, Levi felt overwhelmed by the other’s piercing gaze. He averted his eyes as he softly scowled. An amused snicker left Eren’s mouth and the taller male leaned in, claiming the other’s lips again. Levi was even more cute when embarrassed. Maybe other people would call the brunette crazy or delusional for thinking so but he couldn’t help but find his boss straight up adorable. Others seemed to fear Levi Ackerman but Eren knew different sides of the grumpy off-putting male that nobody else did. As much as he acted proper in normal circumstances, Eren couldn’t help but find it to be a bit of a rush to be able to make his cold and reserved boss melt into a hot, dirty mess under him behind closed doors. Like Levi in this moment who was panting and squirming like a touch deprived whore under Eren’s grip. Sweeping his tongue along Levi’s bottom lip, his boss hesitantly complied, parting his lips as Eren hungrily thrust his tongue down the other’s throat. Levi jerked, a shaky moan erupting from him as a result of the combined stimulation. Eren’s knee was pressed against his erection, grinding into it as the shorter male’s nipples were being teased along with the hot and heavy making out.

Suddenly, Eren’s arms fell down to Levi’s waist, then to his thighs before wrapping under them and lifting Levi’s legs up. The older male gasped in surprise, limbs instinctively wrapping around Eren’s hips as his assistant was now completely supporting his weight. About to cuss Eren out for suddenly lifting him up, a shocked yelp left Levi instead as his bottom was grounded against Eren’s clothed erection. He could feel the other’s stiff member prodding at his ass as Eren needily grinded into him. A sudden realization of where this was all going hit Levi as he stiffened up. 

_He had never been with a man before. He had no idea what to do at all-_

“Levi?”

Levi couldn’t reply, pale digits tightly clawing into Eren’s back as he held onto the other’s broad back with shaky fingers. Noticing this, Eren slowly shifted Levi upwards so the other wasn’t pressed against Eren’s member anymore. He could sense the other’s nervousness on top of the sudden tension in his boss’ body. Eren’s voice reverted back to a less animalistic one, even becoming slightly concerned as he softly called out to his boss. 

“..should we stop?”

Hearing the question, Levi’s head snapped up in surprise.

..Eren was asking him to stop despite how far they had gone? A sickenly sweet feeling pooled into Levi’s chest at the other’s consideration.

Fuck, Eren was too good. If the brat was any more godamn sweet, Levi would go into a sugar coma. _But to stop..?_ _Levi didn’t want that._

Raven strands whipped as Levi shook his head with a huff. Despite feeling a bit cheesy, the older male couldn’t help but say the words already dripping off the tip of his tongue with need.

“Don’t stop- This isn’t just sex.”

Levi took a deep breath.

“...I want you to make love to me.”

Eren blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned before a slight flush made its way into his own cheeks as well. Clearing his throat awkwardly, the room suddenly felt hot in a different way as Eren hoisted Levi up once more and carried him across the room. A soft grunt left Levi’s lips as Eren dropped him against the sheets, crawling on top of the shorter man.

“..I just assumed I would..you know- since, I know what I’m doing..”

Motioning between them, Eren awkwardly mumbled as Levi rolled his eyes, grabbing Eren by the neck and yanking him down. Despite his harsh exterior, Levi was more than willing to hand the reins over if it was to Eren. The older male couldn’t say he didn’t enjoy Eren taking charge the tiniest bit. Okay- maybe he enjoyed it a lot.

“I can handle whatever the fuck you throw at me, Jaeger.”

A faint trace of a smirk ghosted Levi’s lips as Eren’s heart fluttered at the other’s response.

“I..I know that- I just..”

Looking away hesitantly, Eren danced around the direct question.

“..you’re figure is..it’s kind of small-not that it’s bad..! But my..you know..”

Trailing off, Eren’s body dropped down slightly, his clothed erection pressing against Levi’s lower thigh.

_Oh._

Realization at what the younger male meant hit Levi like a wall of bricks. Swallowing thickly, Levi kicked down the nervousness creeping into the corner of his mind before glaring at Eren. He knew exactly what he wanted and he wanted to go all the way after all they’ve been through. If his assistant didn’t have him screaming by the end of the day then Eren needed to try harder.

“What did I just say??”

Levi hissed out before propping himself up on his elbows and yanking out his hand. Grabbing Eren’s dick over his trousers, his assistant lurched forward in shock, gasping in response as Levi squeezed his erection hard. The older male then leaned in, roughly murmuring into Eren’s ear with a challenging tone.

“Am I _weak_ to you? Get on with it and _fuck me_ , brat.”

Whatever hesitancy Eren had previously had been teared away as the look in those jade green eyes were now full of lust and hunger, directed straight at the older man. Levi didn’t waste time either, yanking at Eren’s pants as he unbuttoned them and tugged the zipper down.

.. _Fuck it._

Deciding to take care of everything in one go, Levi wrapped his fingers around the waistband of Eren’s boxers as well. He roughly tugged them down as Eren let him, tan fingers teasing around Levi’s briefs in return. Eren’s cock sprang free from its confines, rock hard and twitching. Precum was already dribbling out of it as expected.

... _Shit, Eren really was packing down there._

Seeing it again, Eren’s boss couldn’t fathom how he had managed to fit it in his throat before. Levi eyed the other’s erection, throat tight. He spoke up as nonchalantly as he could. He just had to know what he was getting himself into now.

“..have you ever measured yourself, brat? What are you, seven inches?”

Snapping out of his lustful daze, the assistant began scratching the back of his head with one hand. Eren then chewed on the inside of his cheek before responding in an awkward tone.

“Erm- when hard, it’s eight….and a half.”

_Fuck- what the shit was this kid eating?_

“..I see.”

Levi replied shortly, eyeing Eren’s cock as it twitched neededly, despite Eren trying his best to not scare off his boss. The assistant could tell that regardless of the other’s snappish and nonchalant attitude, his boss was definitely on edge. Levi kissed the corner of Eren’s mouth, silently reassuring him as Eren melted at the gesture, practically sighing happily. Suddenly, a slick sound could be heard. Levi furrowed his brows in confusion, tossing a questioning look over at Eren.

“...lube.”

“Is that from-”

“Oh no- that one was old..I got this in case, you know..for before..”

Trailing off embarrassingly, Eren went back to warming the substance between his lips as Levi watched him warily. _So Eren was over here hoping to get into his pants this whole time._ An amused chuckle left Levi’s lips at the realization.

“..Is it strawberry flavored?”

A hint of a smirk tugged at Levi’s lips as Eren flushed and shook his head.

“Oh my god..you’re never gonna let me live that down..”

The taller male’s hand was then placed on the hem of Levi’s briefs. Eren’s boss motioned his compliance, giving the other permission to take it off. Levi’s half hard erection sprang free as he flushed, shivering at the cool air that hit his member.

“Levi, could you spread your legs..?”

Questioning softly, Eren stared down at his boss as Levi paused. Foreign to the position, he hastily threw aside his pride and eventually ever so slowly spread his legs apart. A blush tainted his cheeks as he refused to look at the other in such an exposed position. Thankfully, Eren didn’t comment on his unease, instead slowly pressing a lube covered finger to Levi’s entrance. Circling around the ringle of muscle, the younger male eventually pushed a digit in, causing Levi to tense up as a sharp breath left his nose. The sensation felt uncomfortable and weird..but not painful. The assistant eventually got his whole finger in, now sliding it in and out slowly. He watched every motion Levi made from the crease between his brows to every twitch in his legs positioned on the outsides of Eren’s.

“Does it feel okay?”

Rasping out a scoff, the older male eventually turned his head back, facing Eren with half lidded eyes, making the younger male’s heart stop. Levi looked like art, so beautifully splayed out with alabaster skin tainted in purples and browns left behind by Eren’s mouth. The older male panted, soft swollen lips parted enticingly as those grey eyes were hazed with utter desire. But of course, his boss’ words weren’t as eloquent as his visuals.

“It.. _hah_..feels like I’m taking a shit, Jaeger.”

Eren bit on his bottom lip, trying to not laugh at the other’s commentary as he failed poorly.

“Don’t worry, it should start getting better. I’m slipping in another finger.”

Rubbing his finger around inside Levi’s entrance, Eren decided to try finding a better spot. He slowly prodded the entrance with his middle finger, the other taking it in smoothly. A small hiss escaped Levi as the hands under his knees gripped his own thighs tighter, small moons digging into porcelain thighs. The taller male began curling his fingers ever so slightly, stretching the smaller male’s entrance as he stared down at the way Levi’s hole lewdly twitched with every constriction. _God, he really wanted to fuck into Levi already.._

Biting the inside of his cheek, Eren replaced the other’s left hand with his own. He then pushed Levi’s leg back as the smaller male’s knee was pressed to his chest, rubbing soothing circles into the taut muscles of Levi’s thigh. The raven haired male was already writhing below him, hot pants mixed with shaky growls leaving those small lips as every touch of Eren’s set him on fire. Suddenly, Eren’s fingers curled a certain way, causing Levi’s vision to go blurry. He choked out a whine, the curvature of his back lifting off the sheets as a wave of pleasure washed over him.

“ _Fucking shit-!_ ”

Cussing out as he dug his right hand into Eren’s skin hard, grey eyes widened from the unexpected stimulation. Eren faltered, quickly responding with concern.

“What-Levi, are you okay?!”

Ocean eyes went big as Levi shuddered from the friction, hips even slightly pressing down for more of that pleasure he had felt.

“F-fuck! Right there..do that again..!”

As the older male stuttered out his plea, Eren quickly recovered from his surprise. He didn’t waste time and quickly complied, eagerly sliding his fingers back in and curling at that same spot as another heated feeling of pleasure seared through Levi’s blood. Overwhelmed by Eren rubbing into his sweet spot, Levi began unconsciously grinding his hips down. Husky hisses of praise poured from his lips, only egging his assistant on even more. _Shit, maybe he could get used to this._

Levi didn’t tense up when Eren began teasing in a third finger, even willingly complying in order to achieve a fuller pleasure. They both knew Levi was going to need the extra preparation. Eren watched hungrily as Levi’s free hand was now clawing his sheets, the male now fully hard. His cock twitched with each finger fucking. Half lidded gunmetal eyes stared down heatedly at Eren’s erection. It was producing so much precum to the point where the clear fluid was dripping down the younger male’s throbbing member. A small sense of appreciation swelled in Levi’s chest. The other was being patient and taking his time despite being in such a sexually frustrated state. Deciding to not force Eren to delay himself any longer, Levi wrenched his fingers from the sheets and wrapped it around Eren’s neck as his free leg twisted around Eren’s hips, yanking him in. The shorter male was barely able to remain composed as he shakily growled at his assistant.

“ _Nngh_..put it in, Jaeger- I’ll be..fine..!”

Levi watched as Eren’s adam apple bobbed nervously, remaining hesitant as he stilled momentarily and thought over if he should. Gritting his teeth, Levi sharply exhaled from his nose in frustration before yanking the other in even closer, forcing the tip of Eren’s cock to press against his bottom. A hiss of shock left the assistant’s lips at the unexpected sensation. Levi then trailed his hot tongue up Eren’s jawline before purring into his ear firmly, a bite to his tone.

“ _Fuck me hard, Eren._ ”

With that, Eren’s hesitance dissolved as he groaned from the other’s seductive voice in his ear. Taking his fingers out, a lewd squelching sound came from Levi’s bottom. The shorter male quivered, feeling empty as his hole twitched. Levi looked down as Eren positioned himself, precum smearing Levi’s lube drenched hole. Eren’s boss took a deep breath.

 _Well, shit. This was it. Levi was about to lose his ass virginity by a monster of a cock no less._ Eren pushed the head in with a shaky moan, the feeling foreign to Levi as expected. Feeling the hot heat, Levi’s fingers quickly curled as his nails dug mercilessly into Eren’s neck, gripping stray strands of sandy brown hair in the process.

A fuzzy and dull painful pleasure clouded Levi’s head as his entrance tightened around Eren’s cock. His body instinctively reacted out of shock at the thick intrusion, causing the younger male to groan huskily into the crook of Levi’s neck, brown strands brushing up against the older man’s face as his dick throbbed in Levi. The sound of Eren being sexually excited only made Levi more turned on, shivering at the carnal growls and groans emitting from the other. On the other hand, the shorter male was overwhelmed. Toes curled as his heels dug into Eren’s bottom, brittle fingernails scratching up Eren’s muscular back. _Fuck-fuck-shit..!_ Levi already felt filled up but he knew for a fact that the other was only halfway inside him at the most. _How did women do this!?_ A caramel hand trailed outwards, feathering over Levi’s arm. It pried Levi’s hand from its death grip on Eren’s back and intertwined their fingers together instead.

Placing firm, needy kisses on Levi’s collarbone, Eren tried calming the other down with sensual pecks as he jerked his hips forward, cock burying deeper into Levi’s ass. Levi let out a mixture of a whimper and moan at the length at the hot friction. Lewd slick noises filled the air as Eren continued shoving his erection in, Levi’s swollen entrance hungrily swallowing it as its tight walls strained around the massive intrusion. Noises the older male never thought he would make in his life began shamelessly pouring out of him, loud moans slipping from his lips like a depraved slut during Sunday mass. It felt good but it was so _fucking_ tight! Levi thought he was going to split..! Grey eyes rolled up to the ceiling as his lips shakily parted. Levi threw his head back into the sheets, the shadowed ceiling above him looking even more blurry as his eyes watered in mind numbing pleasure. Eren’s cock twitched inside him at the sounds his boss was making, heavily panting. He couldn’t hold himself back anymore. Thrusting the last few remaining inches in, an animalistic growl left Eren’s throat as Levi’s back arched off the mattress in shock, his cock and hole twitching in weak-willed protest against his assistant’s length as Levi loudly yelped.

“Fuck..! You feel so good, Levi..”

Rasping out in a growl, Eren began necking Levi as the older male could only whimper in response, soft curses wobbling out of him in between.

“E-Eren..I’m- I can’t- please..!”

Incoherently blubbering, tears fell out of Levi’s eyes as Eren was balls deep in him. His conscience was blaring from the intensity of such simultaneous pain and pleasure. But he wanted Eren to keep going, to fuck him fully and thoroughly.

“You’re doing so good, Levi..your hole is swallowing me up so good..”

Groaning out his praises, Eren’s fingers around Levi’s tightened as he lifted it and pinned Levi’s hand above his head into the bed sheets. A shiver of satisfaction at the other’s overly sweet approval made Levi’s erection twitch needily. Taking the little energy he had, Levi lifted his head up and met Eren’s lips with his own, nipping at his assistant’s bottom lip as Eren hummed lowly in appreciation.

Then Eren began moving. Hard.

A cry ripped from Levi’s throat as Eren began fucking him into the sheets. His entrance felt hot and slightly burning. Obscene slapping noises filled the air from the other’s cock slamming into his wet entrance. _Fuck- how was it so bad and good at the same time!?_

Dragging his nails along Eren’s back, Levi was sure he was leaving marks and possibly tearing at the other’s skin but his assistant seemed to get off on the pain if anything. Sharp hisses left the taller male’s lips as he grounded deep into Levi. The older male felt like he was overstimulated, his stomach feeling filled up as Eren’s cock repetitively assaulted his sweet spot, going right through it due to his size. Tears painted Levi’s cheeks as his bottom burned in a stinging pleasure. The inside of him was feeling every twitch and throb from Eren’s massive cock. Eren only went harder, grunting as he fucked Levi into oblivion, the older male feeling like putty as his mind raced through a million thoughts. _Why was Eren’s cock so damn big? How was it even fitting in him right now? And why did Eren have the strength of a damn bruiser-!?_ Levi shuddered. His ass was going to be absolutely wrecked by the end of this even though it was worth it.

“Fuck, this tight little hole of yours fits so nice around my cock, Levi..”

Growling into the shell of Levi’s ear, the pale man could only flush as his erection gave himself away, jerking happily at Eren’s words. There was no way anybody would believe how brutal his obedient assistant was in bed even if Levi told them.

Suddenly, Eren’s hand moved to Levi’s erection, stroking it thoroughly as the sensation made Levi cry out once more. The stimulation from both his front and back was overwhelming.

“You’re so perfect for me..so _perfect_..”

Rasping out with an almost desperate whine, the assistant’s breath from those affectionate words feathered against Levi’s lips. Hearing the younger man’s sickeningly sweet endearments, his heart clenched. _Eren was going to be the death of him._

“Shit- you’re such a f-fucking sap, Jaeger..! I love it-”

Wobbling out weakly in response, the raven haired businessman’s cheeks were on fire as he cupped Eren’s cheeks. Levi didn’t waste a second in gruffly yanking Eren down for a slow, sloppy kiss full of affection. A low satisfied groan rolled off Eren’s tongue as it ran up against Levi’s, wet muscles eagerly twisting and slipping against each other.

After what seemed like a lifetime of making out, it looked like Eren was close too as he began panting, his thrusts getting harder as the younger man slammed his thick cock into his boss.

“Fuck- Levi, I’m close..!”

“Me..hah..too..!”

Replying in a strained voice, Levi’s vision suddenly blurred again as he came with a loud moan, white fluids spilling out between his and Eren’s stomach. Panting as he rode out his high, the older male jolted into shock as he remembered the other wasn’t wearing a condom.

“W-wait, Eren-!”

Long fingers carded through Levi’s undercut. Eren pounded his cock into the other a few last times as he rasped out needily.

“Let..let me cum inside you, Levi-”

As Eren stuttered, Levi cursed as Eren fucked into his sore hole one last time before climaxing. His half hard cock spasmed as Eren buried himself deep inside Levi. A cry was then ripped from Levi’s lips as the other’s hips jerked forward, the brunette shuddering as he came hard into his boss’ swollen and raw entrance. Levi could feel Eren’s hot cum pouring into him as he shuddered, marking up Eren’s back as he convulsed under his body.

" _Sh-shit.._ so hot inside, Eren-!"

Body worn out, the older male panted hard as he pressed himself back into the sheets while the other rode out his orgasm. Levi was in disbelief as he felt filled to the brim with Eren’s fluids. Despite the dirtiness of the act, the older man felt a guilty satisfaction from the sensation of Eren's come filling him up inside. The long haired male finally descended from his climax and he slowly began pulling his cock out. A slippery squelch emitted from below as Levi felt the other’s erection soften slightly.

 _Wait, fuck-!_ Eyes shooting open, Levi tiredly cringed as Eren’s dick came out from his hole with a slick pop. Excess cum spilled out down his thighs and onto the sheets from his quivering entrance. The older male shuddered, lifting his hands to run over his flushed, wrecked face. _Shit, they made such a mess._ Cum was smeared around Levi’s gaping entrance and the bed as Eren stared down at him, swallowing thickly as attentive ocean eyes stared at Levi’s cum-filled entrance.

“Um...so round two?”

Levi’s body tensed up at Eren’s words.

_...round what now?_

Tilting his chin, the raven haired male lifted his head and wearily looked down at Eren who was already eyeing him, his cock fully rock hard again and twitching. The assistant smiled sheepishly at him. A shaky breath left Levi’s lips as he stared back at Eren in disbelief before scoffing. Eren was going to drain every last drop out of him for all he was worth.

“Eren, I love you but fucking shit..”

_Fuck. How was Levi going to keep up with this horny teenager.._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited romance and fuck scene. At times, I feel like physical scenes are not as shit as I'm not the best with words. Hope this was up to par. I feel like it wasn't too bad.
> 
> This chapter was definitely one of the more action packed ones if not the most. I hope you enjoyed finding out/confirming the little twist. I did riddle this story chock full of hints regarding the engagement. This is the first public work I've completed. Shit, was that some typing.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed. I will see you next week with the finale.


	25. Happiest Men On Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it's Christmas, I decided to publish the final chapter a day earlier despite the weekly updates being on Saturdays. Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday to Levi Ackerman and I hope you enjoy.  
> Saw this art and think it goes well for this chapter. [X](https://twitter.com/pdechun/status/1300776543451455488?s=21).

_Eren’s POV_

Today was the day. December 25th. It was Christmas, the holidays. It was even Jesus Christ’s birthday.

Not that Eren himself could personally really care about the last bit..

After all, he had a more important birthday to celebrate today.

Eren stood in his apartment taking an uneven breath as he clutched the black satin bag in his hand. He was extremely nervous, practically shaking even. But he knew what he wanted and what he wanted was Levi as always. Nothing made him more happy knowing Levi wanted him back now too. It wasn’t necessary to say aloud that the two of them had progressed into something more– something real. But Eren wanted to take another step forward, towards a future for the two of them together.

Despite it being Christmas, Erwin invited them all once more to another house party. This time, the invitation was extended to only a few departments to make it more intimate. Eren politely asked if his sister could come along and the CEO happily complied before flashing him one of those charming Hollywood star smiles.

Eren stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his black suit as Armin rounded the corner and peered over at him. Since it was Erwin’s event, they were expected to dress nicely and the assistant made sure every single one of his hairs were in place for today. After all, it was Levi’s birthday and he wanted to look the best he could. Despite the older male’s indifference to celebrating it, Eren had an inkling of suspicion that Erwin may have thrown these parties to also sneakily celebrate his friend’s first day on this Earth.

“Dressing yourself up for Levi?”

Armin innocently questioned Eren with a knowing smile as Eren flushed with a nervous laugh at the other’s asking. After that day at the beach, Armin had come home to see his friend completely renewed and full of life, not to mention damp with salt water. After some explaining, the blond seemed to have understood, happy that Eren and Levi had worked things out. Besides Armin and Jean, nobody else knew about Eren and Levi’s new development but the assistant wondered if that could possibly change in the near future. He was proud of Levi and wouldn’t have it any other way. Hell, a crazy hot supermodel could walk up to Eren and he wouldn’t even bat an eye in their direction. Not when he had a major thing for short, grumpy and mean in the form of Levi Ackerman.

The doorbell then rang as Armin went ahead and opened the door. Mikasa stood outside their apartment in a nice burgundy dress and black heels.

“Are we ready to go?”

Murmuring softly, Mikasa peered around the doorway at Eren who took one last look at himself in the mirror. Adjusting his tie, the tall male turned and grinned at his sister, walking towards the entrance.

“Merry Christmas to you _too_ , Mika.”

Mikasa flushed in embarrassment as Eren and Armin laughed, both pulling her into a hug. The three of them embraced for a good minute before untangling from each other. To avoid any inconveniences, the three of them had already exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve, now able to solely focus on partying once they headed out the door. As soon as Eren grabbed the keys, he locked the apartment shut before they began heading over to Eren’s car. The night was peaceful as the sun had barely just set to make way for the early evening. Armin glanced at Eren and gave him a small smile. Recognizing it was the ideal opportunity, the assistant took a deep breath before speaking up.

“Mikasa..can I ask you something?”

Pausing briefly, the black haired female brushed a short black strand behind her ear before speaking up.

“Of course..you always can, Eren.”

Coming to a stop in front of Eren’s car, the long haired male stood there for a second as Mikasa stared at him, a questioning look in her grey eyes. Eren felt nervous, emerald eyes darting between the ground and his sister as he mustered up the courage to tell her. He knew he wanted her to know before others just like Armin. It had to be now.

“Well..I just wondered how you would feel if I started seeing someone. Nothing has happened but..I just wanted you and Armin to be the first to know if it did.”

A small glimpse of skepticism lit up in his sister’s eyes as she crossed her arms and tilted her head. Armin stood on the side, softly whistling as he looked at the sky.

“...well, who would that be?”

Biting the inside of his cheek, Eren looked to the side before responding firmly.

“...my boss, Levi.”

A stiff silence washed over the trio as Eren stared at Mikasa who stared back at him. That similar unreadable expression that Levi had was plastered over his sister’s face as he waited, slightly on edge, for her response. Eventually, she pursed her lips, briefly in thought, before speaking up.

“Well. Try to keep the sex life outside of the office.”

With that, Mikasa made her way to the passenger’s seat. Eren gaped, face flushed at the advice. Armin simply laughed, following after her as he went to go sit in the car as Eren hastily yelled.

“Oh my god, Mikasa..!”

\-----

“Hey, we didn’t forget to bring the wine, right?”

“I have it right here, Armin.”

Mikasa held up the glass bottle as Eren climbed up the steps to the front door behind the two. They were at Erwin’s mansion of a house once again. Although Eren and Armin have been there before, it didn’t lessen Armin’s nerves about going. Eren would have understood if Mikasa was a bit nervous since she was only there for a little during Halloween but it was funny getting it from Armin with Erwin being his own boss. Shaking his head with a scoff, Eren shrugged as he reached an arm out between the two of them and rang the doorbell.

“Ar, you know you don’t need to appease Erwin to this degree anymore, right? You’re already working as his assistant.”

The blond flushed in embarrassment as he spoke up hastily.

“I know that..! I just-”

Finally, the door swung open as a familiar shaggy head of brown and thick rimmed glasses greeted them.

“OOOH! Look what we have here-!”

Hanji cackled as she grinned widely at the three, brown eyes lingering a moment longer on Eren specifically. Levi’s assistant swallowed thickly. He forgot she knew. Her blabbering was quickly cut off however by a familiar low hiss chastising her.  
  


“Oi, Hanji. Don’t answer the door like you’re the owner of this shithole.”

Looking over Hanji’s shoulder, the trio spotted Levi walking up to the door as the female held it open wider. Eren’s eyes widened as he momentarily forgot to breath. Levi was dressed up in a white undershirt with a form fitting suit, the black vest tightly snug around his hips with a laced up back. Levi looked absolutely stunning in a tight suit, raven hair swept around his face as those grey eyes locked with his. The two stood there, staring at each other without words as both parties took in the sight of each other. A loud cough erupted by Eren, causing him to snap out of his stupor as Mikasa eyed him and Levi.

“Should we go in now?”

Eren turned red as Armin hid his smile and Hanji cackled. Running his fingers through his hair, he mumbled with an embarrassed expression as Levi simply looked to the side awkwardly and walked off.

“Ah- yeah, we should do that..”

Hanji stepped to the side as the trio walked into the warm and inviting party, the faint chatter of others already getting louder. Looking around, Eren saw Jean next to Marco. Horse face had his hand discreetly brushing against Marco’s, causing Eren to lightly scoff to himself. He had Marco to thank later for getting Jean off his sister at least. Making eye contact with his friend, Jean gave him a subtle nod as Eren casually waved back. Sasha was busy hounding the food table per usual as Connie stood next to her, likely talking about something random. Ymir and Christa were flirting in the corner as always except it seemed like a few people from one of their neighboring companies were present to Eren’s surprise. A trio of two males and a shorter female were by Christa and Ymir. Levi’s assistant recognized the short blonde female to be Annie. Nudging Armin in the side, the taller male grinned at him before motioning to the female. His friend flushed and shook his head but walked over nonetheless. This time, Mikasa seemed to follow Armin for once instead of her brother, leaving Eren to himself. Ocean irises scanning the party scene, a small hand clasped around his arm, surprising Eren. The teenager glanced to the side, looking slightly down at a certain figure who was smiling softly at him. A nervous laugh left Eren’s lips as he turned to face Petra.

“Hello, Mrs. Ral. How are you doing this evening?”

The ginger haired female simply laughed at him before replying in an amused voice.

“I’m good, Eren. You can just call me Petra.”

Her smile grew brighter as she lifted her hand from Eren’s arm up to brush back a strand of her hair. A sparkle glimmered against the light as she did so, catching the assistant’s attention. His eyes widened.

“..is that..?”

Petra beamed.

“Why yes it is. Actually, Erwin and I decided to not hide it anymore.”

Thrusting her hand out, Petra winked at Eren as she motioned for him to take a closer look.

“We're officially engaged now with a ring but maybe the action was inspired by a certain somebody..”

Eren felt flustered. _Was Petra saying he got them to do such a thing?_ Gazing in awe down at the woman’s giant diamond ring ( [ X ](https://mvb6.style/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/14K-Rose-Gold-Vintage-Wedding-Engagement-Ring-Peach-Morganite-Natural-Diamond.jpg)), turquoise eyes widened at how fancy it looked. He spoke up in a murmur, a small smile painting his face. He really was happy for her.

“Well, I’m glad you two are doing well. It’s beautiful, Petra..congratulations.”

Of course, it was still simple and definitely suited Erwin’s fiancé. He could imagine her insisting to Erwin that she didn’t want something too big and gaudy. Looking coyly down at the younger male, Petra giggled before murmuring aloud.

“So...a little birdy told me that you’ve had your eye on somebody.”

Head jerking up at the claim, Eren stared at Petra in shock as she simply waved him off with a knowing smile and withdrew her hand.

“Don’t worry, honey. I won’t go around blabbering if you don’t want me to but it was inevitable for me to know! After all, I couldn’t be left out of the loop for why my very fake fiancé was suddenly calling it quits on me! Little did I know, the reason was right under my nose..”

Petra beamed again at Eren as the assistant flushed, tugging on the ends of his hair before mumbling.

“Oh, well..I think I just smothered Levi too much with my affections. Hah, it still feels like a dream honestly. I get worried he might be overwhelmed by my feelings.”

Petra’s eyes went big as she processed the other’s information, a small hand going up to her mouth as she covered her smile. Confused at the other’s sudden amusement, Eren furrowed his brows before questioning her.

“What is it?”

“Ah- well..I don’t mean to throw anybody under the bus. It’s just that, while you say that, Levi has been glancing over at us the whole time and I don’t think it’s because of me..”

Eren’s eyes widened in surprise as he suddenly jerked his head around. Levi was across the room, standing with Erwin but his eyes weren’t on the CEO. Grey irises locked with ocean ones as Levi was surprised by Eren’s sudden turn around. Eren’s boss quickly turned back to Erwin as the blond chuckled. His assistant didn’t fail to miss the slight red flush in the other’s ears. The younger male’s chest heated with a feeling of happiness at the realization. He watched as Levi seemed to grumble after Erwin said something. Finally, Levi shot his boss one more glare before they both began walking over to Eren and Petra. Coming to a stop in front of Eren, Levi glanced at his assistant with unreadable gunmetal eyes as the younger male grinned back at him cheekily. He was unable to keep himself from smiling even if he had wanted to.

“Hi, Levi.”

The raven haired male subtly nodded, stormy grey irises softening at the sight of Eren smiling like that at him. Lifting his eyes from the shorter male, Eren nodded at Erwin respectfully.

“Thank you for inviting my sister and I, Erwin.”

The CEO simply smiled back, placing a hand on Petra’s shoulder as they both looked at him with a knowingness behind their expressions.

“Of course. Petra and I are both glad you could make it. However, I’m sure there are others just as glad..”

Trailing off coolly, Erwin took a sip of his white wine as Levi shot a glare at him. His assistant simply laughed, turning to Levi with an amused shine in his eyes.

“Who do you think he means, Levi?”

Levi clicked his tongue before looking away.

“I sure as hell wouldn’t know..”

Eren laughed, knowing deep down Levi felt flustered. He knew his boss’ response wasn't genuine, the blatant lie out of embarrassment being endearing to Eren. In response, Eren simply smiled fondly at Levi, causing the older male to scowl as the red in his ears deepened. Erwin and Petra watched the interaction with amusement. Clearing his throat, the CEO then looked at Levi and spoke up nonchalantly.

“The balcony is open..if you want fresh air.”

Something in Levi’s eyes lit with slight realization, looking back at Erwin with vague satisfaction from his boss’ statement. Meanwhile, Eren made a face of confusion at the passive interaction. _The balcony? Was there something there?_

“Eren.”

Realizing Levi was calling out to him, he snapped his head in Levi’s direction as his boss turned and walked off.

“..balcony.”

Eren's confusion only grew but nonetheless he complied quickly, quickly saying his byes to Petra and Erwin before jogging off after Levi. Falling into step beside his boss, he glanced over at Levi who seemed more tensed up than usual. It looked like something was eating at the other. The assistant would be lying if he said he wasn’t at least slightly concerned. Eren watched as Levi came to a stop at Erwin’s glass doors, swinging one open. Murmuring under his breath in a lower voice, he questioned Levi. 

“..is everything alright?”

Levi paused briefly, not turning back before replying stiffly.

“..yes. Just come out here, brat.”

Looking over his shoulder, Levi curled a finger, motioning for Eren to follow as his assistant warily complied. He shut the door behind them before turning around.

_..Oh._

If Erwin’s house wasn’t already nice enough, the balcony was just as glamorous. All the glass doors from inside seemed to all lead to a single huge balcony in the form of a patio. It was all cream marble as gentle white lights glew overhead, not taking away from the beautiful night sky. A small smile of awe slipped onto Eren’s face as he looked at the scenery. It was really beautiful. He could definitely understand if Erwin paid a pretty penny for this house. The assistant’s lips parted in wonderment as the stars were reflected in his deep sea green eyes.

“..wow..this is beautiful.”

“I know.”

Levi replied in a firm, quiet voice, causing Eren to look back down at his boss.

His boss who had his eyes on his assistant..not the sky.

Eren’s chest tightened, realizing what Levi was doing. It was a bit humorous that their positions had been reversed this time except that the way Levi was looking at him made Eren forget how to breathe. He nervously swallowed, staring back at Levi who hesitated before taking a step forward. Coming to a stop right in front of Eren, Levi pulled out his phone before setting it down much to the younger male’s surprise.

“I...thought of you...when this song came on, I mean.”

Eren watched with wide eyes as Levi straightened back up and looked up at him, slight nervousness in those grey eyes. He swallowed thickly, feeling antsy as well by the other’s unexpected gesture. Levi was far out of his comfort zone and Eren knew that. It only made this all ten times more sweet.

Levi grabbed Eren’s hand and awkwardly guided it to his own waist. Using his other hand, ice-kissed fingertips slipped in between his assistant’s.

Music began playing. ([ X ](https://youtu.be/jCSvOtUaI8s))

“...It’s not really a dancing song. But I’d like to dance again..with you.”

Eren’s lips were pressed in a tight line as he felt overwhelmed by Levi’s initiation. His heart skipped a beat at the first notes. The song was from the same band he played that day in the car. His heartbeat accelerated at the idea of Levi possibly leafing through songs just because of Eren while the assistant wasn’t around. Nodding slowly, Eren choked out his response in pure adoration. A heartfelt smile was on his face as his eyes went a bit watery at the unmentioned sentiment.

“Of cou..of course, Levi. I’ll dance with you.”

_♪_ Hope you don't regret it

I pushed a lot back, but I can't forget it

We never got the credit

Nobody seemed to hear us, but we said it

Neither of us planned it

And for a long time I took it all for granted

I really thought we had it

But at the time it was more than I could manage _♪_

The smallest of smiles pulled at Levi’s lips as his eyes softened at Eren’s response. The assistant felt his heart pounding like a stampede as his boss slowly let his head drop on Eren’s chest. Looking down at Levi, the younger male could hardly breath as he felt his eyes getting a little wet. _Levi was here..with Eren just like how he had always wished for._

_♪_ So, if we can leave it all behind us

And meet in between

It would get me so

High all the time, high all the time

I wanna be high all the time

Would you come with me _♪_

A small panic of realization darted in Eren as he put a stop to their movement, glancing to the side at the party inside before looking back down at Levi hastily.

“The glass windows-”

“I don’t care.”

Stating coolly, Levi kept his head on Eren’s chest, tilting his head up as he looked up at Eren with those gravitating silver irises.

“..do you?”

Eren stared back down, temporarily taken aback. It was so unexpected..Levi not being so antsy. Not wanting to emotionally conceal. The look in Levi’s eyes made his heart palpitate as usual. A slight flush made its way to the assistant’s face as he rasped out happily.

“No..not at all.”

_♪_ Wish I didn't doubt it

I wish I never ever told you all about it

But I just had to let you know

I never meant to hurt you though

I had all my motives

I didn't know they wouldn't mix with your emotions

I just had to reach my goals

Never knew I need you though, so

If we can agree to disagree, yeah

Keep on reaching

It would get you so

High all the time, high all the time

I wanna be high all the time

Would you come with me

High all the time, high all the time

I wanna be high all the time

Would you come with me _♪_

Eren’s chest clenched at the words, knowing Levi found himself in them. If only they had realized sooner..but then again it may have not turned out this way. This way with the two of them slow dancing together at last on Christmas, bodies pressed up together with no room for doubts.

Of course, they weren’t the perfect couple. They never would be and that was more than okay with Eren as much as he was sure it was for Levi. They had their flaws as any other pair did but even in those imperfections, Eren found himself deeply falling for Levi. In that moment while the assistant stared down lovingly at those inky black strands, it was the same as always. Nothing mattered as much as Levi did to him.

Levi stared back up at him, shaking his head at Eren’s blatant, overwhelming affection before burying his face in the brunette’s chest out of embarrassment. Eren softly laughed before teasingly saying romantic words aloud.

“I love you, Levi.”

A brief content silence warmed the air before Levi’s fingers tightened around Eren’s. He muttered into his assistant’s suit in an awkward low tone.

“...I love you too, brat.”

Maybe a pair or two of eyes happened to see Levi and Eren outside on the balcony that day, more intimate than a boss and assistant should be. However, it went unnoticed and uncared for by each of them. As unvocal as Levi was as Eren was vocal, the two both could silently acknowledge the fact that they saw something beautifully eccentric in each other and even more so together. The music slowly came to a stop as the pair did themselves. Slowly pulling himself away from Levi, Eren looked down at him with a small smile. To that, Levi simply looked scoffed before pinching his assistant’s hand that was on his waist. Eren winced as he pulled his hand from his boss as the older man shot him a look.

“Don’t go getting too sappy on me, Jaeger. Wouldn’t want you to melt into a shitty puddle.”

A disbelieving scoff left the brunette’s lips as he stared back at the shorter male with amusement. Rubbing his hand, Eren suddenly stilled, remembering the item he had stored in his pocket.

“Well..I promise i won’t melt into a puddle but I may have to hold off on the sappy part for a moment.”

Eren joked with a scoff before rummaging a hand into his pocket. A slight dredge of nerves pricked at him as Levi’s assistant took a deep breath.

_He could do this. The odds were in his favor especially after what Levi had done...right?_

Swallowing thickly, Eren slowly pulled out the satin bag. Levi stared at it with wide eyes. Ignoring the internal voices that were freaking out in his head, Eren looked back up at Levi, eyes shining with hope as he held the bag up. His throat bobbed in nervousness before he slowly spoke up.

“So..I know that we, uh, never talked about us..but I want to.”

Pressing his lips tightly together, Eren stared back at his boss with wide eyes as Levi simply returned the stare. Grey eyes focused on the fumbling teenager as they lifted from the satin bag clutched between those tan fingers. Eren had Levi’s full attention and the older man made sure Eren knew that.

“Go on.”

Exhaling shakily, Eren let out a strained laughed before scratching the back of his head and continuing.

“..I..Levi. I’m sure you already know this. You’re smart, witty and unapologetically yourself. I don’t know when exactly it started but I know it hasn’t ever ended..that being my feelings...and.. _I love you._ I love you more than a man probably should..but I do and I have no regrets about it. The excessive cleaning, the endearing grumpy scowls, the toilet humour..I love it all because it’s a part of _you._ So....”

Pulling on the drawstring, Eren opened his hand before letting the contents slip from the satin with a small clang. Levi’s eyes widened momentarily as he stared down at the gold and silver bracelets in his assistant's open palm. ([ X ](https://cf.shopee.sg/file/86e391898b3a3fcf2a4f12b708c7711d))

“I know this might be a lot to take in- but I don’t want us to be up in the air anymore, you know? I want to let the world know that I’m happy.. _with you_. It’s cheesy but..Levi, will you be my boyfriend?”

Eren could hear his heart thumping in his ears as his throat tightened. Like other times, staring at Levi did not always help when the other was actively not showing his emotions. He was unable to read Levi for once, silently hoping the other took his confession well. The older man simply stared at the bracelets, face void of expression as grey eyes practically bore a hole into Eren’s palm. Eren’s mouth felt dry, hoping the other wouldn’t turn around and walk out like the other time.

Eventually, Levi lifted his hand. Eren simply stared down at it blankly, startled out of his stupor as his boss scoffed at him.

“We don’t have all night, brat.”

Eyes widening, the assistant stared back in surprise.

“...you want to put it on?”

Levi made a face before giving the other a look of amused disbelief.

“Well, I’m not going to stand here and stare at it like an idiotic boyfriend.”

Flushing at the other’s sarcastic jibe, Eren’s eyes widened at the other’s comment. He was unable to suppress the grin growing on his face as he was overwhelmed with happiness.

“You said boyfriend..”

Levi arched a brow at him, a hint of an amused smile on his face.

“Am I not now?”

A weight felt like it had been lifted off of Eren’s chest as he let out a breath he didn’t know he held in. Holding the silver bracelet, he gently slid it onto Levi’s wrist as his boss hummed in approval. After doing so, the assistant slipped his gold one on. Ocean eyes stared affectionately down at their wrists as grey eyes did the same.

“..not bad.”

Muttering coolly, a trace of contentment could be seen in Levi’s face before he looked over at Eren. Eren who was smiling wide, admiring the bracelets. The assistant’s chest constricted as he watched the corner of Levi’s mouth twitch upwards at the sight of the bracelet around his wrist. Looking up, grey eyes were met with Eren staring intensely at him with a flushed face. Rolling his eyes at the other’s excessive joy over such a small thing, the feeling of affection for Eren wormed its way into Levi’s heart once again.

“God, you are hopeless.”

Emptily ridiculing the other, Levi grabbed the front of Eren’s shirt, yanking him down to his height as their lips crushed together. A light, gleeful laugh left Eren’s lips after he let out a surprised muffle between their kiss. Levi’s assistant then lifted his newly adorned wrist to Levi’s head, fingers needily running through a black undercut as he leaned into the kiss.

“I love you, Levi.”

“I love you too, Eren.”

Everything felt right because for once, it was. Eren Jaeger felt like the happiest man on Earth and much to his delight, a certain callous boss named Levi Ackerman did as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit. This is it. This is the completion of Bottoms Up.  
> I would like to thank everybody for reading and leaving kudos and comments throughout this work's progression. I will still enjoy getting feedback from this work for years to come after its completion but in this moment, I would like to vocalize my appreciation. I hope you enjoyed this fanfiction. What started as a half crapped idea turned into something with sentiment and meaning to me, despite what possible flaws it may have.
> 
> There is a possibility I may write a short epilogue or story for this work in the future but it is up in the air. As of now, this is the complete finished work of Bottoms Up. 👍🏻
> 
> If you enjoy my work, I would be glad if you checked out the next one I am currently working on. It is Riren instead of Ereri and is more racy. The link is [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28190049/chapters/69076767).

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will upload every Saturday.  
> I will be adding new/additional tags along the way as I post so they do not spoil readers who are keeping up to date.


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